Statewide effort against drunk driving results in 2,577 arrests in a month

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A December-long, Minnesota-wide DWI crackdown generated 2,577 DWI arrests and 4,586 seat belt violations.

Preliminary arrest totals were reported by 337 of around 400 participating agencies. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) coordinated the effort.

“It’s clear from the results of this DWI campaign too many people continue to make poor decisions about drinking and driving,” said Captain Matt Langer of the Minnesota State Patrol. “These poor decisions result in death and injury, all of which are preventable if people choose to driver sober, which is why we’ll continue our efforts to deter and remove impaired drivers in 2010.”

Enhanced DWI enforcement efforts will continue year-long in the state’s 13 deadliest counties for impaired driving that accounted for more than half of all alcohol-related deaths and serious injuries during 2006-2008: Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright.

Each year in Minnesota up to 200 people are killed in alcohol-related crashes and more than 35,000 are arrested for DWI.

DPS included the seat belt focus to counter unbelted nighttime fatalities, which are especially prevalent in alcohol-related crashes.

Each year, 75 percent of impaired drivers killed in alcohol-related crashes are not wearing seat belts.

In greater Minnesota, Moorhead police reported 40 DWI arrests followed by the police departments of Duluth (38), Rochester (37), St. Cloud (31), Mankato (27), Owatonna (21) and Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office (20).

Tags: state news, news, dwi, motorists, drinking, crime