Minnesota Campaign Designed To Deter DWI Injuries And Deaths

Approximately 30,000 Minnesota drivers are arrested every year for DWI. In the last five years, drunk drivers were responsible for almost 600 deaths which could have been prevented if the motorists had driven sober or let a sober person drive instead.

St. Paul’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign was in effect from August 16 through September 2, 2013. As a result, over 1,550 motorists with alcohol concentration levels of from 0.4 to .357 were arrested for DWI.

Close to 30 people in the U.S. are fatally injured every day in accidents involving drunk drivers. In 2012, Minnesota DWI accidents caused 104 deaths, 2,644 injuries and 28,418 drunk driving arrests.

Consequences For DWI

A drunk driver in Minnesota can incur thousands of dollars in costs, jail time and loss of a driver’s license for up to one year.

Repeat and first-time offenders who have alcohol concentration levels of .16 or higher must use ignition interlock in order to reinstate legal driving privileges or lose driving privileges for up to one year.

With three or more DWI arrests, offenders must use ignition interlock for 3-6 years or forfeit driving privileges for life.

Information about drunk drivers including ages, genders, arrest locations and alcohol concentration levels may be broadcast via Twitter and/or posted on Twin Cities digital billboards.

More information on DWI consequences can be found in the Minnesota Depart of Public Safety PDF Download: DWI Consequences – Impaired Driving Penalties and Sanctions.

Drunk Driving Prevention Tips

Deaths and accidents caused by drunk drivers are always preventable when drivers follow a few basic rules:

• Don’t drive drunk. Arrange transportation with a sober driver or stay where you are until you are sober enough to drive safely.
• Be a sober driver for someone else. Provide reliable transportation for friends and loved ones who become too intoxicated to drive themselves.
• Use seat belts. Seat belts can prevent injuries cause by drunk drivers.
• Report drunk drivers. Contact 911 to report impaired or dangerous drivers. Include license plate numbers and location information.

Have You Or A Loved One Been Injured By A Drunk Driver?

If you or someone you love has been wrongfully hurt in a DWI/DUI accident, contact the Minnesota personal injury lawyers at Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben. We are here to help anyone who has been injured by a drunk driver and to represent families of those who have been killed. With over 40 years of Minnesota personal injury representation experience, we understand how it feels to lose a loved one in a DWI accident or to be injured by a drunk driver.

Since 1972, we’ve helped thousands of personal injury victims in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and across the nation to receive fair settlements. If you or someone you know has been hurt, you are entitled to reimbursement for medical expenses, lost income, pain, suffering and disability. Call us at (612) 377-7777 or toll-free at 1-800-752-4265 for a free consultation about a potential DUI injury case no matter how small. We make legal representation affordable by working on a no-settlement, no-fee basis. You pay a percentage of your settlement only if you receive compensation.