EDITORIAL: Too many Valley residents driving under the influence

Forget fentanyl and foreigners; the greatest threat to public health in the Rio Grande Valley is cars and cocktails.

Law enforcement agencies say the rate of drunk-driving accidents and arrests in the area is alarming, and they’re looking for answers. Hidalgo County officials say they’re considering imposing “no refusal” policies, in which people who refuse to take breathalyzer, urine or other chemical alcohol tests can be forced to submit to blood tests and possibly lose driving privileges. Cameron County adopted such rules in 2015 and reported a decrease in driving-while-intoxicated cases.

The Valley’s high DWI rate is hardly new; thousands of DWI arrests — and hundreds of accidents — occur every year on local roads. In 2019, about 6,300 DWI charges were filed in the Valley’s largest cities by local law enforcement agencies and the Texas Department of Public Safety. That number dropped to nearly 4,800 in 2020, likely due to travel restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, 547 alcohol-related crashes were reported in 2020 — 125 in the city of McAllen alone — according to the Texas Department of Transportation. And, post-pandemic, they’re on the rise again.

On some polls, Hidalgo County is ranked as the county where drivers have the highest risk of being hit by a drunk driver — greater than larger, more congested areas such as Harris, Dallas and Bexar counties.

Several years ago, then-state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. tried to explain the high drunk-driving rates by saying it reflected the Latino culture, which features weddings, quinceañeras other large family gatherings.

We doubt if the people of any culture want to be known for having a penchant for getting drunk, and for not having the sense to stay out of the driver’s seat when they are. An affinity for family celebrations doesn’t give anyone license to drive drunk, putting themselves, their families and anyone unfortunate enough to share the road near them in danger. People who love their families don’t expose them needlessly to the risk of a possibly fatal car crash.

Unfortunately, there’s only so much our law enforcement agencies can do; after all, they normally don’t get involved until someone is seen driving erratically or, worse, an accident occurs. Off-duty officers and others who provide security at public events can help monitor people and try to convince them not to drive if they seem impaired, but as Sen. Lucio pointed out, many people imbibe at family get-togethers where no one is there to try to stop apparently drunk people from getting into their cars.

Ultimately, people need to take responsibility for their own actions, and recognize that playing it safe is a much safer option than having the hubris to think they can drive safely, and react well to unexpected events, when they’re feeling a little tipsy. Family members also need to do more to keep a loved one from putting themselves, and other family members, in danger by driving drunk.

Many Valley residents are quick to cite our low violent crime rates and say that this is one of the safest places to live in the United States. Unfortunately, that truth doesn’t apply once we get on Valley roadways.