[chambernews] Fwd: FW: DPS News release: Extra DWI patrols

[Karen Amundson (Chamber)]

Careful driving everyone ~
Have a nice weekend. Happy Father's Day to all Dad's ~
Karen.

*-----------------------------------*

*MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY*

*NEWS RELEASE*

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *

June 16, 2011

CONTACT:

Nathan Bowie, 651-201-7571

**

**

*MAJOR DWI ENFORCEMENT ON THE ROADS THIS WEEKEND*

/Effort Kicks Off Heightened Summer-Long Patrols /

ST. PAUL --- Significant weekend DWI enforcement will hit roads in the 
state's 13 counties with the highest combined total of alcohol-related 
deaths and serious injuries. Added DWI enforcement efforts will roll 
summer-long to combat impaired driving, which typically spikes in 
warm-weather months, according to the Minnesota Department of Public 
Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety.

In Minnesota during 2008--2010, there were 435 alcohol-related traffic 
deaths and 142 (33 percent) occurred during June--August. During this 
same period, there were 98,740 DWI arrests, of which 25,519 (26 percent) 
occurred during summer.

"Impaired driving is a threat on our roads all year, but especially in 
the summer," says Lt. Eric Roeske of the Minnesota State Patrol. 
"Motorists can avoid harsh DWI consequences by taking easy steps to plan 
for a safe and sober ride home."

DPS encourages Minnesotans to:

·Plan for a safe ride --- designate a sober driver, use a cab/public 
transportation, or stay at the location of the celebration. Families 
should let each other know that they will be available to offer a safe 
ride home.

·Buckle up and wear protective motorcycle gear --- the best defenses 
against an impaired driver.

·Report impaired driving --- call 911 when witnessing impaired driving 
behavior. Witnesses must be prepared to provide location, license plate 
and observed dangerous behavior.

The State Patrol, and county and city law enforcement agencies will 
conduct extra patrols in the following counties which accounted for more 
than half of the state's alcohol-related deaths (254) and half of the 
state's serious injuries (506) during the three-year period 2007--2009:

·Anoka (22 alcohol-related deaths/51 alcohol-related serious injuries)

·Carver (13/12)

·Dakota (20/33)

·Hennepin (61/144)

·Itasca (11/15)

·Olmsted (15/30)

·Ramsey (19/54)

·Rice (3/29)

·St. Louis (26/55)

·Scott (12/24)

·Stearns (11/20)

·Washington (13/23)

·Wright (28/16).

DPS directs extra enforcement toward Minnesota counties with the highest 
combined number of alcohol-related deaths and serious injuries to 
maximize the enforcement's impact on impaired drivers.

In the last five years, Minnesota averaged 171 alcohol-related deaths 
and 373 alcohol-related serious injuries annually. More than 30,000 
motorists are arrested for DWI each year. A DWI offense can result in 
loss of license for up to a year, thousands in costs and possible jail 
time.

The enforcement is supported by a new TV campaign. 
<https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/audio-visual-library/Pages/default.aspx> 
The 15-second spots link and twist common alcoholic beverage names and 
drinking terms with DWI consequences.

Enhanced DWI patrols are a component of the state's core traffic safety 
initiative, /Toward Zero Deaths (TZD)./ <http://www.minnesotatzd.org/> 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 trauma response.

To-date in 2011 there has been 115 traffic deaths compared to 153 at 
this time in 2010.

###

Nathan Bowie

Minnesota Department of Public Safety

Office of Communications

Desk: 651-201-7571

Cell: 651-398-7195

nathan.bowie at state.mn.us

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