Men’s Health recently surveyed American cities on a rather inglorious issue: the impact of drinking in its America’s Drunkest Cities poll. Texas had the dubious distinction of having three cities listed in the Top 10 – Austin, San Antonio and Lubbock. Fresno, California, was designated the “Drunkest U.S. City” in the Men’s Health survey. California also tied Texas for state arguably most affected by drunk driving with three cities appearing in the top 10.
Each city was ranked on indices of health and crime statistics including number of DUI arrests, drunk driving fatalities, deaths from liver disease, self-reports of binge drinking, and severity of state impaired-driving criminal and civil statutes. The cities were graded from A to F, with 13 cities receiving a failing grade.
Three Texas Cities Rank High for DWI Deaths, DWI Arrests
Austin, Texas, ranks at number 5 in the Men’s Health poll. Its high reports of binge drinking (it ranked 2nd) and number of DUI arrests (it ranked 8th) helped Austin make its way into the top 10 Drunkest Cities.
San Antonio, Texas, appears at number 7 with deadly consequences. It ranks 17th for deaths in drunk driving accidents and 22nd for deaths from liver disease.
Lubbock, Texas, is the last Texas city to appear in the Top 10 at number 8, although it is the highest ranked city for deaths in DUI crashes, and 12th in DUI arrests.
While the Men’s Health poll is not highly scientific, it provides a barometer of the social acceptance of drinking, drunk driving, and the consequences of impairment across the nation. Drunk driving is no laughing matter, however. Texas law enforcement is clearly stepping up efforts to get drunk drivers off the road and prevent deadly drunk driving crashes. Contact an experienced Texas DWI attorney if you are facing drunk driving charges.