by Sgt. Jesse Grabow
Columnist
Did you know? Minnesota Impaired Driving Facts
A little history:
The state’s first DWI Law enacted was in 1911.
When baby boomers began to drive in the 1960’s more than 60% of traffic deaths were due to drinking and driving. This started to decrease in the 1980s. Currently about 30% of all fatalities are alcohol related.
The earliest record of traffic deaths was in 1910, with 23 fatalities. Systematic record keeping on crashes started much later in the 1930s.
Who and how many:
Over 570,191 Minnesotans [10.7 %] have one or more DWIs on record. Of licensed drivers in the state, 1 in 7 have one or more incidents on record, 1 in 17 have two or more and 1 in 30 have three or more. Startling, 1,265 Minnesotans have 10 or more impaired driving incidents.
In 2011, there were 29,257 impaired driving incidents, with 1,903 being underage drivers.
In fifty-five percent of impaired driving incidents the violators are 20 to 34 year olds. Males committed 73 % of the incidents.
Of all violators, 60 % had no prior alcohol incidents on record, leaving 40 percent as re-offenders. Of those who incur a second violation, half of them will go on to a third, half with a third incident will incur a fourth. Impaired driving incidents remain permanently on a violator’s record.
Where and when:
Mahnomen, Mille Lacs, Clearwater, Cass and Becker Counties have the highest percentage of impaired driving incidents on record and Stevens, Rock, Lincoln, Carver and Washington have the lowest.
Fridays account for 16 % of all alcohol incidents, Saturdays for 27% and, finally, Sunday for 23%.
DID YOU KNOW that through the holiday the Minnesota State Patrol and allied law enforcement agencies will have extra patrols on the road focusing specifically on Impaired Driver? You will notice!
If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (Or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us)