Minnesota DWI Confessions (Part 3 of 3)

The state of Minnesota wants people to know that their lives will change in a drastic manner if they decide to drive after ingesting alcohol. Minnesota residents who have experienced the consequences of a DWI arrest describe what life is like afterwards in an online video series from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety.

In the third video in the series, you will hear from a man who was arrested on a DWI charge. Subsequently, he was forced to spend a great deal of money on fees, spent time in jail and lost his ability to drive his vehicle.

He never thought that he would be arrested for driving while intoxicated. After working late one night, he decided to have a couple glasses of wine before going home. During the drive, he turned down the wrong street and was stopped by a police officer. Since this was the first time that he had ever been in trouble, he didn’t know what to expect and was concerned about what he would tell his wife.

The result of his DWI conviction was that he lost his license, and his wife had to drive him to work every day. His attorney’s fees cost him about $6,000. He spent about $600 to have his license re-instated. The whiskey plates he was required to have were $300, and his auto insurance increased to about $100 a month. Thus, the consequences are long-term.

DWI Consequences

Although it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or higher in Minnesota, you can be arrested on a DWI charge if your blood alcohol content doesn’t reach that level. If you are a first-time offender, you are likely to suffer the following consequences:

• The loss of your license for at least 30 days
• A possible jail sentence
• Court costs, fees and increased insurance rates that amount to about $20,000

Minnesota Drunk Driving Facts

1. In the year 2012, 104 people lost their lives in alcohol-related car crashes.
2. That same year, 2,644 people were injured in these types of collisions.
3. Minnesota police arrested a total of 28,418 people on the DWI charge for that year. These people had an average blood alcohol content equal to 0.154.

Tips to Prevent Drunk Driving

1. Before arriving at a party, determine who will be the designated driver.
2. Sleep on the couch if you are too drunk to drive or plan to take a bus or a cab home. 
3. If you believe that someone is driving while impaired, find a safe place to stop so that you can call 911. You will need to tell the dispatcher the driver’s license plate number and location.

Contact an Experienced Injury Attorney

If you or a loved one has been injured in a drunken driving accident, contact the personal injury attorneys at the law firm of Schwebel, Goetz & Sieben.  Make sure that you have a lawyer on your side to help you protect your rights and interests. Call (612) 377-7777 or toll-free at 1-800-752-4265 for a free consultation today.

Related Links:
Minnesota DWI Confessions (Part 1 of 3)
Minnesota DWI Confessions (Part 2 of 3)