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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
City of Duluth - Police Department
Mike Ceynowa, Chief of Police
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
2030 North Arlington Avenue • Duluth, Minnesota 55811 • www.duluthmn.gov
For more information contact:
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
Public Information Officer, Mattie Hjelseth at (218) 730-5434 or mhjelseth@duluthmn.gov
DATE: 12/1/2011
SUBJECT: December Enhanced DWI Enforcement Mobilization
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Public Awareness
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 12/1/2011
INCIDENT TIME:
INCIDENT LOCATION: Duluth and Surrounding Area
SUBJECT: December Enhanced DWI Enforcement Mobilization
BY: DPD Public Information Officer Jim Hansen
NATURE OF INCIDENT: Public Awareness
CASE NO.:
INCIDENT DATE: 12/1/2011
INCIDENT TIME:
INCIDENT LOCATION: Duluth and Surrounding Area
The Duluth Police Department, St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, Hermantown Police Department, Proctor Police Department, UMD Police Department, Floodwood Police Department and the Minnesota State Patrol will be partnering in a December Enhanced DWI Enforcement Mobilization beginning Friday, December 2nd, 2011, through the end of the month.
Statewide, law enforcement agencies statewide will provide 8,500 extra hours of DWI patrols on the roads in December, the peak month for alcohol-related crashes during the last three years. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over heightened enforcement is also run nationwide.
In Minnesota there were 1,097 alcohol-related crashes in Decembers, 2008-2010, resulting in 24 fatalities. Despite the high number of crashes, December is among the lowest months for alcohol-related fatalities.
There were 131 alcohol-related traffic deaths in 2010 in the state, the fewest on record and down 21 percent from five years ago. Still, during 2006-2010, 791 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes—reflecting impaired driving as a factor annually in one-third of the state’s road fatalities.
Each year, 30,000 motorists are arrested for DWI, one in seven Minnesota drivers has a DWI on record.
To-date in 2011 there has been 313 traffic deaths compared to 369 at this time in 2010.
The Department of Public Safety encourages Minnesotans to:
- Plan for a safe ride-Designate a sober driver, use a cab/public transportation, or stay at the location of the celebration. Families should let each other know that they will be available to offer a safe ride home.
- Report impaired driving-Call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Witnesses must be prepared to provide location, license plate and observed dangerous behavior.
Enhanced DWI patrols are a component of the state’s core safety traffic initiative, Towards Zero Deaths (TZD). A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes-education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.
