Law enforcement officers statewide made 3,094 driving while impaired (DWI) arrests during a Safe and Sober campaign in July.

The preliminary arrest totals were reported by 278 of about 400 participating agencies, along with 10 out of 11 State Patrol districts, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety coordinated the Safe & Sober effort. The average alcohol-concentration of the DWI offenders was 0.15, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08.

The enhanced, statewide impaired-driving enforcement sweep also focused on drivers not using seat belts.

Participating officers made 1,360 seat belt citations during the month-long campaign. Of the impaired drivers and their passengers killed in alcohol-related crashes during 2004–2006, more than 70 percent were not wearing seat belts. Of all Minnesota nighttime traffic deaths (9 p.m. to 3 a.m.) during 2004–2006, 66 percent of the victims were not wearing seatbelts, according to the Department of Public Safety.

From 2004 to 2006, 540 Minnesota motorists were killed in alcohol-related crashes. More than 113,000 Minnesota motorists were arrested for DWI. In all, one in eight motorists with a driving record, or 500,395 Minnesota motorists have a DWI.  A DWI can cost up to $20,000 when factoring in associated fees and increased insurance rates.The July DWI enforcement was funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is a component of the state’s umbrella traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths.
 -- Shawn Hogendorf