Community News: Local DWI enforcement begins

CELEBRATE THE LABOR DAY HOLIDAY SAFELY AND LIVE TO TELL ABOUT IT

Extra DWI Patrols on Rice County Roads Roads Aug. 19 – Sept. 11  

Northfield, Minn. – Labor Day weekend is a final hurrah to the fun of a Minnesota summer. Rice County Law Enforcement agencies will be helping keep Minnesotans safe as they travel and celebrate the final weeks of summer. Law enforcement statewide will be taking drunk drivers off the road as part of the extra DWI enforcement campaign Aug. 19 — Sept. 11. And on Friday August 19th, is a day that every Law Enforcement agency is being asked to demonstrate a united front across the entire state by dedicating efforts to DWI enforcement.

Officers, deputies and troopers from more than 300 agencies will be working overtime with funding provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) coordinates the extra enforcement and education effort.  

Summer Winds Down, DWIs Go Up

An increasing number of motorists are making smart choices behind the wheel with DWI arrests declining by 40 percent in the last 10 years.

DWI HISTORY

To make further progress, more Minnesotans need to plan ahead as summer winds down. In the last five years (2011 – 2015), August was the worst month for DWI offenders, averaging 2,509 arrests, followed by March (2,399) and July (2,354). On average, drunk driving will be a contributing factor in one fatality and two life-changing injuries during the Labor Day holiday period.

“People having a good time at the lake or grilling in someone’s backyard aren’t necessarily thinking about the consequences of being in an alcohol-related crash,” said Sgt. Tussing. “Make just one poor choice by driving drunk and your life or the life of an innocent victim could be changed forever. We want Minnesotans to have a good time but also stay safe. Celebrate but have a plan for yourself and others before anybody gets behind the wheel.”

The Toll of Drunk Driving

In the last five years (2011 – 2015), 24 percent of all fatal crashes in Minnesota during the Labor Day holiday period were drunk driving-related.  

In the last five years (2011 – 2015), there were 462 drunk driving-related traffic deaths in Minnesota. In Rice County during that time, there were 3 drunk driving traffic deaths and 19 serious injury crashes.

DWI Consequences

• Loss of license for up to a year, thousands of dollars in costs and possible jail time.
• Repeat DWI offenders, as well as first-time offenders arrested at 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level, must use ignition interlock in order to regain legal driving privileges or face at least one year without a driver’s license.
• Offenders with three or more offenses are required to use interlock for three to six years, or they will never regain driving privileges.

Prevent Drunk Driving

• Plan for a safe ride – designate a sober driver, use a cab/public transportation or stay at the location of the celebration.
• Speak Up – Offer to be a designated driver, or be available to pick up a loved one anytime, anywhere.
• Buckle up – the best defense against a drunk driver.
• Report drunk driving – call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.

Local agencies participating in the statewide campaign are Dundas, Faribault and the Northfield Police Department’s, the Rice County Sheriff’s Office and the Minnesota State Patrol.

The enhanced DWI enforcement campaign is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) program. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes – education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency medical and trauma response.