According to the Minnesota Department Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS/OTS), St. Patrick’s Day historically is a dangerous drinking and driving period. Officials are especially concerned this year as the holiday falls on a Monday, since revelers may make a long weekend of celebrating.

 

“Long-weekend holiday celebrations can make for a potentially dangerous situation on our roads,” says Donna Berger, DPS Office of Traffic Safety director. “Be smart, keep safe and plan ahead for a sober ride if you plan on drinking.”

 

In the past five years, more than 1,450 motorists were arrested for DWI on St. Patrick’s Day, and the number has risen every year:

In addition, there were 1,768 crashes during the same time period, resulting in nine traffic fatalities; one of the deaths involved a drunk driver in 2011.

 

Drunk Driving in Minnesota
Each year, nearly 28,000 people are arrested for DWI and approximately 35 percent of all traffic deaths are alcohol-related. One in seven Minnesota drivers has a DWI on record.

 
DWI Consequences
A DWI offense can result in loss of license for up to a year, thousands in costs and possible jail time. Repeat DWI offenders, as well as first-time offenders arrested at 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level, must use ignition interlock in order to regain legal driving privileges or face at least one year without a driver’s license. Offenders with three or more offenses are required to use interlock for three to six years, or they will never regain driving privileges.

 

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety
DPS comprises 11 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.

 

About the Office of Traffic Safety
OTS designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program and for the child seats for needy families program.

 

OTS is an anchoring partner of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) traffic safety initiative. 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.

 

# # #