Law enforcement officers from Minnesota State Patrol, Carlton County Sheriff's Office, the Fond du Lac Reservation, Cloquet, Esko and Moose Lake are out en masse this month in Carlton County and all over the state to step up arrests of people who choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol.
"Impaired driving is still public enemy number one when it comes to traffic safety," said Dan Danielson, Carlton County sheriff deputy.
The numbers certainly back up Danielson's statement. As of the end of November, Minnesota traffic deaths were ahead of last year's pace and roughly 33 percent of traffic deaths in the past three years were alcohol-related.
In 2006, the state tallied a record-low number of alcohol-related traffic deaths - 166 - yet a record-high 41,382 motorists were arrested for DWI.
From 2004-2006, Minnesota averaged about 38,000 DWI arrests each year, which can be translated to 100 DWI arrests per day. More than 500,000 people in Minnesota have a DWI on their record.
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In Carlton County, from 2004-2006, there were two impaired driving deaths and 1,157 people arrested for driving while intoxicated.
Not surprisingly, young adults continue to be primary violators with more than 29 percent of DWIs in Carlton County attributed to drivers in their early 20s and those under the legal drinking age.
According to Carlton County district attorneys, drunk driving in the area is a problem that isn't going away. To try and curb the problem, in January they will roll out a court program specifically designed for individuals who meet certain criteria and are arrested for DWI.
Those individuals will find themselves on a strict diet of monitoring and appearing before a judge on a frequent basis as part of their sentence.
So before you head out to the next holiday fete, and especially on New Year's Eve, make a plan before imbibing - call a taxi, designate a sober driver, call a friend to pick you up or stay the night at the celebration.
It's the role of every motorist to make smart decisions before getting behind the wheel.
- Lisa Baumann
