Turkey, stuffing and unfortunately DWIs are all a part of Thanksgiving and other holiday celebrations this time of year.
As people get together for the holidays, law officers will be taking drunk drivers off the road as they conduct extra DWI patrols. The extra enforcement campaign starts Nov. 25 and runs on weekends through Jan. 2.
The enforcement is part of a statewide effort with officers, deputies and troopers from more than 300 agencies 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 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement and education effort.
Holiday DWIs by the Numbers
Most people think about a sober ride home when making their New Year’s plans, but statistics show motorists need to pay just as much attention to other holidays. The percentage of drunk-driving related deaths compared with total traffic fatalities is significantly higher for Thanksgiving and Christmas than other holidays (2010 – 2014).
• Thanksgiving: 53.8 percent
• Christmas: 46.2 percent
• Fourth of July: 40 percent
• Memorial Day: 27.3 percent
• Labor Day: 16.7 percent
• New Year’s Day: 12.5 percent
“You should not only be planning a sober ride home when you’re going to the bar, but also when you will be consuming alcohol at a friend’s or family’s home, or when attending holiday work parties,” said Bob Bollenbeck, Isanti Co. Toward Zero Deaths Coordinator. “When hosting a celebration, don’t be afraid to speak up. Find guests a sober ride home or let them sleep at your house. You could be helping save lives that night.”
Drunk Driving by the Numbers
The 2014 Minnesota Motor Vehicle Impaired Driving Facts report reveals there is much more work to be done when it comes to getting drunks off the road.
• 88 out of 361 people killed in traffic fatalities statewide (24 percent) were drunk driving-related.
• A number of people killed in Isanti County have been alcohol related.
• 25,258 DWIs (an average of 70 per day)
• In Isanti County there were more than 100 DWIs in 2014
In the last five years (2010 – 2014), there were 479 drunk driving-related traffic deaths in Minnesota. In Isanti County during the last three years, there were four drunk driving traffic deaths with two fatalities just last year.
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.
• 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.
Definitions
• Driving While Impaired (DWI) is a violation for driving under the influence of alcohol.
• Alcohol-related: any evidence of alcohol detected in a driver, pedestrian or bicyclist.
• Impaired-related: any driver, pedestrian or bicyclist with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or above.
• Drunk-driving-related: any driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or above.
DPS-OTS coordinates the statewide campaign, and local agencies participating include law enforcement in Cambridge, Braham, and Isanti along with Isanti County Sheriff’s Department.
In Isanti County, Safe Cab is available through local bars and restaurants during the holiday season.
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.