With the conclusion of Memorial Day weekend, also comes the conclusion of heavily enforced DWI enforcement and heavily enforced seat belt enforcement. Drivers in Minnesota were urged to drive extra vigilantly during the unofficial start of the deadliest season on Minnesota roads — summer — according to 5Eyewitness.
Based on five-year averages for the state, there are usually an average of five fatalities and six injuries over Memorial Day weekend. But according to Minnesota State Patrol stats, there were less car crashes in 2013 compared to 2012 as a direct result of DWI’s.
Minnesota’s Most Recent Impaired Driving Statistics
In 2012, out of the 395 people killed in traffic accidents in the state, the number of people killed as a direct result of impaired driving was 104. That’s 100 less deaths compared to just 10 years ago. Although the number of deaths has declined, deaths resulting from impaired driving remains to be one of the state’s top one-third causes of its annual total number of traffic deaths.
Also in 2012, there were 2,644 accident related injuries due to DWI crashes and 28,418 Minnesota drivers were arrested for DWI. Of those 28,418 drivers, 11, 474 had a prior DWI violation. Only 6% of DWIs involved drivers under the age of 21 and 73% of arrests were male.
Regarding criminal convictions relating to these accidents, 76% of motorists involved in DWI crashes were criminally convicted, with a large number of unsettled cases still in the court systems requiring the professional assistance of an experienced Minneapolis DWI Attorney. It is estimated that 1 out of every 7 drivers in Minnesota has had at least 1 DWI in their lifetime.
If you’ve been involved in an alcohol-related car crash and are in need of a Minneapolis DWI Attorney, contact us today for a free case evaluation. The experienced attorneys of Martin Law Offices Twin Cities Defense can help.