As of July, there have been 53 DWI arrests in the city year to date. This is up from 44 as of July 2023, according to city records.
Police Chief Brian Jones said while it's common to see more arrests during the warmer months of spring and summer, the overall rate of DWI arrests in Bee Cave tends to be higher than what's typical for a community of its size.
Jones spoke with Community Impact about why this may be the case and how the department handles DWI arrests.
What makes Bee Cave a hot spot for DWI arrests compared to other cities?
We're basically right in the intersection of Hwy. 71 and RM 620. Both of those are high-speed roadways where thousands of people are passing through every day. ... And Bee Cave is not a large geographic area, so our officers are really concentrated on those roads, within the confines of the city limits, which is less than 10 square miles.
Why does the department see more DWI arrests during the summer?
A lot of it is that school's out. We're also in close proximity to Lake Travis, so there's a lot more traffic going back and forth. ... There's not many places that you can really go and have a drink at a bar [in Bee Cave]. So, for the most part, what we're seeing is that they either live in the Bee Cave area and they've been in Austin, or they've been somewhere west and they're traveling back home to Austin.
What other trends have you seen among recent DWI arrests?
Most of them are going to be in the evening and night hours, [and] mostly on the weekends. However, we do make DWI arrests in the middle of the day [and] during the week. Sometimes, I hate to say it, but we've even arrested a parent for DWI in the pickup line at the elementary school. So, it can happen anywhere at anytime. ... As far as demographics go, there's really no quantifiable information that gives us a particular trend of which gender and what age group [is most common]. It's all over the board.
How does the department prevent drunk driving accidents?
When we have the personnel to, and especially during holidays like Memorial Day, Labor Day and July Fourth, we will do traffic initiatives to boost patrols. ... So far, we haven't had any [DWI cases] lately that have resulted in serious injury or death. We've had a couple of fatalities, but they weren't alcohol related.
What advice do you have for citizens who would like to drink responsibly?
Use common sense and good judgment. Find a safe ride home. There's rideshare apps available in the city. There really should be no excuse.
