Sometimes, people hear the term “drunk driver” and picture someone who is so inebriated that he or she can’t stand.
Minnesota law sees things differently.
Recently, authorities began a “Buzzed Driving” campaign meant to educate Minnesota residents about what really constitutes “drunk driving.”
In Minnesota, as in all states, the legal blood-alcohol content limit to drive is 0.08. For as long as we have had drunk-driving laws, it has been difficult for people to tell whether they are under or over that limit.
These days, young people have started to use the term “buzzed” to mean a state of intoxication that, in their own minds, doesn’t necessarily amount to full-on “drunk.” A consequence of this has been that some young people think they’re “just buzzed” when they are, in fact, over the 0.08 limit.
As a Minneapolis DWI lawyer, I think it’s good that we as a state are starting to have a conversation about what “buzzed” means and what consequences there might be to driving when “buzzed.”
That doesn’t mean I expect this public-awareness campaign to solve all future problems, though. Even if we were somehow able to properly educate every single young person in the state about drunk-driving laws, some of them would still slip up. The reason is simple: we’re all human, so we all make mistakes.
If you ever find yourself in hot water after drinking too much and then getting behind the wheel, please know that help is available. You are welcome to contact Martin Law Offices anytime you think having an attorney would be beneficial.