LUBBOCK, Texas — LPD data shows they have made 204 arrested from Driving While Intoxicated so far in 2022, more than 30 percent higher than at this point in 2019 and 2020.

Last year, DWI arrests spiked by 31 percent over the 2020, with 517 arrests. For the last three and a half years, LPD has averaged more than one DWI arrest per day.

“It’s quite a staggering thing and you can see what a social problem it really is,” Lead Victims Services Specialist for Mothers Against Drunk Driving Dawn Bevan said. “We have to change the way society thinks about drunk driving.”

While LPD said DWI arrests increase on certain weekend nights and during holidays, they actually decrease as the summer begins each June. They attribute this trend to the decrease in population Lubbock experiences as students leave for the summer break.

This will be the first summer that LPD is deploying their targeted traffic enforcement squads, which specifically search for drunk driving and other serious moving violations.

“We do take precautions and we change the ways we police based on certain days of the year or events that are going on,” Lt. Brady Cross said. “They are looking for intoxicated drivers and other driving offenses that are putting the public in danger. These are things they are targeting specifically.”

Most first-time DWI offenses are Class B misdemeanors, but certain factors can enhance the penalties such as showing a blood-alcohol concentration above 0.15, traveling with a child in the car, or injuring others in a crash.

LPD uses field sobriety tests published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and may also obtain blood search warrants. Cross also noted that many traffic patrols focus on the Depot District.

According to MADD, it is estimated that the average person has already driven drunk 80 times by their first DWI arrest. They also estimate that one in ten area drivers are intoxicated after 10:00 p.m. Bevan has seen the impacts of this crime firsthand through her work with victims.

“When you see someone lose a family member to such a senseless and preventable crime, this is really a social problem that we have. I have seen people that suffer horrible injuries for the rest of their life – brain injuries, physical injuries, emotional injuries. And then, of course, losing a loved one affects many, many people,” she said. “The drunk driver, they’re not thinking about all of the people they can affect. You can affect thousands of lives just by injuring or killing one person, or even losing your own life.”

Lubbock MADD is hosting their “Walk Like MADD” event on August 6 outside the Lubbock County Courthouse, where they will raise money and honor the lives lost. They encourage victims to find resources and support at www.madd.org

“When you suffer such a traumatic incident, often times you feel like you’re alone. We want them to know they are not alone. MADD is here for them.”

LPD continues to encourage responsibility and safety, for those who may leave home to drink and for all who drive during the night.

“Accidents happen every day, all the time,” Lt. Cross said. “Sometimes they can’t be avoided, but one thing that can be avoided for certain is driving while intoxicated.”