After years of declining DWI arrests, Minnesota officers made 4% more last year

[TBO]

ST. PAUL — Driving while impaired arrests were up 4% last year in Minnesota compared with 2018, according to preliminary information released last week.

 

The overall numbers have been trending down for years, though there has been a substantial increase in arrests of people driving while under the influence of drugs. There were 78% more controlled-substance DWI cases between 2013 and 2017 compared to the five previous years, data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety shows.

 

“The upward trend has continued beyond that,” said Mike Hanson, Minnesota’s Office of Traffic Safety director, on Friday. “I think there are more people abusing more substances out there, and troopers, deputies and officers are also getting much better at recognizing someone who is impaired and taking action.”

 

The drugs range from marijuana, methamphetamine, opioids, prescription and over-the-counter medications, Hanson said.

 

Overall, 27,975 drivers were arrested for DWI last year throughout Minnesota, compared with 26,825 in 2018, according to preliminary reports from DPS.

 

“It’s a bit concerning that we see our numbers above where were in 2018, but if we look at the long-term trend we’re still heading in the right direction,” Hanson said.

 

Since 1998, the peak in DWI arrests came in 2006 with 42,000. The numbers decreased each year until a slight uptick in 2017, and then the increase from 2018 to 2019.

 

Hanson said factors that could contribute to the increase include:

 

• Recent changes to impaired driving laws that have made it easier for law enforcement to enforce them.
   
• New electronic systems that cut down on the time for officers to get search warrants to test the blood or urine of suspected impaired drivers and to charge them.
   
• Funding officers throughout the state to work fulltime on getting impaired drivers off the roads. The 18 officers in the program were responsible for more than 7% of all DWI arrests made in the state, and additional DWI officers will be added this year.
   

There were 364 traffic deaths in Minnesota last year, compared with 381 in 2018, according to the preliminary information. Of last year’s fatalities, at least 27 were known to be distraction-related, 71 were speed-related, 102 were alcohol-related and 72 were not wearing their seatbelts.

 

Hanson encouraged people to speak up if they see someone who is impaired and about to get behind the wheel.

 

“When you look at where we’re at in 2020, there’s really no good excuses to be arrested for DWI anywhere in Minnesota — there are too many options out there,” Hanson said. “People need to have a plan for getting back home safely and making sure you don’t wind up in the back of a squad car, an ambulance or, heaven forbid, a hearse.”

 

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[janice6]

2 hours ago, TBO said:

ST. PAUL — Driving while impaired arrests were up 4% last year in Minnesota compared with 2018, according to preliminary information released last week.

 

The overall numbers have been trending down for years, though there has been a substantial increase in arrests of people driving while under the influence of drugs. There were 78% more controlled-substance DWI cases between 2013 and 2017 compared to the five previous years, data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety shows.

 

“The upward trend has continued beyond that,” said Mike Hanson, Minnesota’s Office of Traffic Safety director, on Friday. “I think there are more people abusing more substances out there, and troopers, deputies and officers are also getting much better at recognizing someone who is impaired and taking action.”

 

The drugs range from marijuana, methamphetamine, opioids, prescription and over-the-counter medications, Hanson said.

 

Overall, 27,975 drivers were arrested for DWI last year throughout Minnesota, compared with 26,825 in 2018, according to preliminary reports from DPS.

 

“It’s a bit concerning that we see our numbers above where were in 2018, but if we look at the long-term trend we’re still heading in the right direction,” Hanson said.

 

Since 1998, the peak in DWI arrests came in 2006 with 42,000. The numbers decreased each year until a slight uptick in 2017, and then the increase from 2018 to 2019.

 

Hanson said factors that could contribute to the increase include:

 

• Recent changes to impaired driving laws that have made it easier for law enforcement to enforce them.
   
• New electronic systems that cut down on the time for officers to get search warrants to test the blood or urine of suspected impaired drivers and to charge them.
   
• Funding officers throughout the state to work fulltime on getting impaired drivers off the roads. The 18 officers in the program were responsible for more than 7% of all DWI arrests made in the state, and additional DWI officers will be added this year.
   

There were 364 traffic deaths in Minnesota last year, compared with 381 in 2018, according to the preliminary information. Of last year’s fatalities, at least 27 were known to be distraction-related, 71 were speed-related, 102 were alcohol-related and 72 were not wearing their seatbelts.

 

Hanson encouraged people to speak up if they see someone who is impaired and about to get behind the wheel.

 

“When you look at where we’re at in 2020, there’s really no good excuses to be arrested for DWI anywhere in Minnesota — there are too many options out there,” Hanson said. “People need to have a plan for getting back home safely and making sure you don’t wind up in the back of a squad car, an ambulance or, heaven forbid, a hearse.”

 

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364 Traffic deaths last year. Hmmmmm.  I wonder just how many deaths by legal firearms carriers.  That's rhetorical.  We all know that what ever that number is, it pales in comparison.

But, all we hear about is taking firearms from legal and responsible carriers, because they are such a threat to life.

I am always amazed at how little the public cares for traffic deaths, but how much they pretend to care about firearm deaths.

It's obvious that the general public really cares little about deaths that occur from sources they frequently utilize themselves.

I guess the rule is if I don't do it, I don't want you to do it either.  They have no real argument against these thing they don't do, but they want to be able to control others they see as different or having different desires from their own. 

So this is all about a desire for control over others, not death or the means causing death.

If this were about deaths, the quoted statistic in the OP would cause people to express their concern.  Since they accept death from automobiles regardless of why, then death isn't the issue at all. 

[tous]

Operating a two-ton motor vehicle whilst inebriated, whether by the current trendy pharmaceutical of the day or alcohol is no different than if I were to get drunk or high and took my rifle out and started shooting in random directions.

If I don't wound or kill anyone, I get to just go home?

If I do wound or kill someone, it's just a misdemeanor that any good lawyer can get dismissed.

Fill the prisons with impaired drivers.

 

 

[janice6]

2 hours ago, tous said:

Operating a two-ton motor vehicle whilst inebriated, whether by the current trendy pharmaceutical of the day or alcohol is no different than if I were to get drunk or high and took my rifle out and started shooting in random directions.

If I don't wound or kill anyone, I get to just go home?

If I do wound or kill someone, it's just a misdemeanor that any good lawyer can get dismissed.

Fill the prisons with impaired drivers.

 

 

Again we are back to the real issue.  The public doesn't want to spend money on prisons.  They would rather spend money on something they like.  Like free stuff.  The real issue of incarceration is the cost, nothing to do with the punishment factor, just the cost.

It's the same reason we "essentially" got rid of mental hospitals.  No one cares about the patients, just the money spent on them

Remember, that the original issue of eliminating or drastically reducing the inmate counts in both institutions, originated with politicians saying cost was the issue. 

Politicians would spend the money on some cause that brings  them more votes rather than caring for mentally ill, or prisoners.

[Duluth]

There's no excuse these days. Uber/Lyft. If you want to go out and drink. Pot holes, icy roads and DWI's are not an issue. No wear and tear on my car. It's cheap insurance. 

[janice6]

2 hours ago, Duluth said:

There's no excuse these days. Uber/Lyft. If you want to go out and drink. Pot holes, icy roads and DWI's are not an issue. No wear and tear on my car. It's cheap insurance. 

That's true.  And again shows that people simply don't care.

[Duluth]

2 minutes ago, janice6 said:

That's true.  And again shows that people simply don't care.

And no door dings from the drunks in the bar parking lot.

[janice6]

2 hours ago, Duluth said:

And no door dings from the drunks in the bar parking lot.

I hate when that happens...……..  I really mean that!!!

[Duluth]

If you use the promo code...

emmetm92ue

With Uber you'll get a discount on your next ride if you're new to it.

 

[holyjohnson]

i`d be interested in seeing the per Arrest Breakdown of what each one had in their systems when Arrested.

that would be a pretty good indicator of how and why People were using what they were, but also where its predominant.

 

 

also a reminder that the LEOs are out there on the road with the Drunks trying to Stop them.

and 18 of them Arrested nearly 2000 pretty good numbers.