On the morning of March 9, Durango woke up to another reminder that driving under the influence isn’t just a statistic – it crashes into our community in very real ways. This time it happened in the roundabout where the “Endurance” sculpture once stood, an installation made of bicycles that symbolized the spirit of our town.
A vehicle driven by someone under the influence plowed into the sculpture, flipped onto its side and destroyed the artwork. With two previous DUIs on record, the driver refused to exit her vehicle. One DUI is a bad decision. Three is a pattern.
“Endurance” represented values that define a mountain town where people ride bikes and rafts to work, ski before breakfast, and spend weekends exploring trails. Seeing it destroyed because someone decided to drink and drive is frustrating, but unfortunately, it’s not surprising.
The truth is, DUI is still a cultural issue, not just a legal one. For decades, we have watched society change behaviors when the risks become clear. Smoking used to be common everywhere, from restaurants to airplanes. Then the science came out, the public understood the consequences, and culture shifted. Today, lighting up in a crowded restaurant would be unthinkable.
Yet somehow, in 2026, people still believe it’s acceptable to drink and drive.
It’s baffling. The statistics are everywhere. The stories are heartbreaking. Families are shattered, lives are lost. And still, someone somewhere decides they’re fine to drive.
Let’s be honest about who we are as a community. People have joked that we’re a drinking town with a skiing problem or a skiing town with a drinking problem, but alcohol has always been part of Durango’s culture. There’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying a beer after a ride or celebrating with friends after a day on the mountain.
What’s wrong is getting behind the wheel afterward. In a town with rideshare services, taxis, designated drivers and friends who will gladly pick you up, there is simply no excuse anymore.
I often hear people say DUI is a mistake. But mistakes happen when you forget your wallet or miss a turn. Choosing to drink and drive is not a mistake; it’s a decision. And like any decision, it has consequences.
Why are those consequences still so lenient? When someone receives multiple DUI convictions, at what point do we say enough is enough? In many places around the country, repeat offenders face vehicle forfeiture or significant jail time. Why not in Colorado?
If someone repeatedly demonstrates they cannot safely operate a vehicle, maybe the conversation should shift from fines to removing the vehicle itself. After all, a car in the hands of an impaired driver becomes a 2-ton weapon.
We have laws, enforcement and public education campaigns. Our officers will continue to make DUI arrests and take impaired drivers to jail. But enforcement alone cannot solve what is ultimately a cultural problem. Culture changes when communities decide something is no longer acceptable.
We’ve done it before. We did it with smoking. We did it with seat belts. It’s time to do it with DUI.
Durango deserves better than waking up to another destroyed landmark, or worse, another lost life.
Because someone thought they could make it home after one too many.
Brice Current is the chief of police for the city of Durango.
