El Paso Increases DWI Enforcement; Bar Owners Say Prevention Starts Inside

Описание: El Paso police are ramping up DWI enforcement across the city as new data shows alcohol-related crashes continue to take lives even as overall traffic deaths fall.

Special traffic investigators say fatal crashes involving alcohol remain a serious problem in the Borderland.

Overall, traffic fatalities in El Paso are down 24% over the past three years, but alcohol-related fatal crashes have continued.

The number of fatal crashes involving alcohol was 26 in 2020, 24 in 2021, 17 in 2022, 30 in 2023, 21 in 2024, and 19 in 2025.

Officials stress that even one death is too many.

In the first two weeks of 2026, police issued more than 1,400 citations, not counting warnings. Over the previous two years, more than 5,000 drivers were arrested for DWI.

Officials say they are committed to minimizing drinking and driving.

“It is literally carnage on the street,” Pacillas said. “It affects everybody’s life.”

District Attorney James Montoya said preventing impaired driving is a priority.

“One life lost to drunk driving is way too many,” Montoya said. “Public safety has always been a top priority of mine, and preventing drunk driving is a critical part of that work.”

Montoya’s office referred questions to a news conference held last month where he discussed legislative changes his office is working toward, including the possibility of asking judges to impose interlocks on DWI offenders even when not required by law.

“You know, our office is looking at creative new ways to try to deter this conduct even more, potentially requiring asking judges to impose interlocks on DWI offenders, even when it’s not statutorily required,” Montoya said.

STORY: https://kfoxtv.com/news/local/el-paso...

#DWI #police #bars #drivingwhileintoxicated #enforcement #elpaso

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