Deadly Days of Summer: The Woodlands watching for drunk drivers

THE WOODLANDS, Texas -- Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, a time for family, fun… and fatalities.

Drunk driving is one of the leading causes of traffic-related deaths, so Montgomery County and Uber have partnered in an effort to prevent motorists from making the fatal decision to drink and drive.

Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson has been working closely with Uber and the Texas Bar Association in an effort to limit the number of fatalities on Montgomery County roadways this summer.

“DWI is our most preventable violent crime here in Montgomery County,” Henderson said. “It’s an effort that we have been trying to address for many years now. We have a lot of government agencies like the Bar Association and other agencies, such as Uber, that we have been working with for a long time.”

Alex Karjeker, a representative from Uber, has been in contact with local law enforcement agencies to help raise awareness about preventing drunk driving.

“I think we can all agree that drunk driving is 100 percent preventable,” Karjeker said. “Our primary goal here is to ensure people take personal responsibility and have all options available to them so they don’t drive under the influence.”

Starting Memorial Day, Uber will offer $15 off for first time users who enter the promo code ‘MOCOSAFE’ within the app. This promotion will last throughout the summer.

One of the safest methods to prevent drunk driving is to plan ahead, said Kaitlin Youngblood, a spokesperson for Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“MADD encourages motorists to stay safe, especially during this time of the year when drunk driving deaths typically increase,” Youngblood said. “We want people to plan ahead and stay safe. There’s so many options available today with apps like Uber, public transportation and designating a non-drinking driver. There’s no excuse for anyone to drink and drive.”

DWI is the largest criminal offense category in Montgomery County according to their database. Between 2,000 and 2,500 drunk driving cases are filed annually and Montgomery County has the highest impaired driving crash fatality rate in the state for counties with over 500,000 residents.

When an individual is charged with a DWI, they are arrested and booked into the county jail, followed with a number of court appearances and meetings with lawyers.

Tyler Dunman, Special Crimes Bureau Chief with the Montgomery County District Attorneys Office, believes that the biggest cost, aside from potential death, is hiring a lawyer, which can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $40,000.

“When you compare the cost of Uber, even $50 a night to Uber from your house to a bar or party, to the tens of thousands dollars it will cost you for DWI, it’s a very easy, simple decision to make,” Dunman said. “Take advantage of the offer that Uber is making for Montgomery County throughout the summer. Don’t wait till you get to the bar to make a plan about getting home safe because it won’t work. You’ll end up killing yourself or someone else.”