A recent review of combined traffic and crime data shows that Texas counties which sell alcohol, known as wet counties, have wide differences in crime rates and alcohol related accidents from those that don't. Though these differences are not exactly what the opponents of alcohol sales and distribution might think.
These recent statistics show that the fear of alcohol sales leading to more crimes, especially drunk driving in Texas, is unfounded. The 2007 data from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), shows there were 502 Texas DWI arrests per 100,000 residents in dry counties versus 445 Texas DWI arrests in wet. Also shown in these statistics is the number of traffic fatalities involving alcohol in dry counties was 5.7 per 100,000 residents; more than twice the 2.7 rate in wet areas.
It only makes sense that dry counties would have more driving while intoxicated arrests than wet counties if you think of it in simple logistical terms. If you are in a dry county at home or a get together and you run out of alcohol and you have to drive a longer distance to get more, your chances of getting arrested for DWI are going to go up. As a Texas DWI lawyer in Austin who has seen DWI arrests across the state, it is clear that these statistics indirectly prove one other fact and that is even if you ban alcohol people who want to drink will drive the distance to get it regardless.
