DPS: More Than 1,800 Arrested In DWI Crackdown
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – More than 1,800 motorists were arrested for DWI during the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign from Aug. 17 to Sept. 3, officials announced Thursday.
Officials with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said 1,842 impaired drivers were arrested by 315 reporting agencies across the state. A similar crackdown last summer resulted in 1,787 DWI arrests.
DPS officials estimated that about 30,000 motorists are arrested for DWI in Minnesota each year. Crashes involving drunk driving have also resulted in 651 deaths over the last five years, including 11 last year. Officials said in 2011, the average drunk driver had a .16 blood alcohol content, which is twice the legal limit for driving in Minnesota.
The Minnesota State Patrol reported 343 of the more than 1,800 arrests during the "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign.
