Despite knowing that police officers would be out in full force looking for drunk drivers, more than 100 Minnesotans were arrested for DWI on New Year’s Eve.
According to the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety, law enforcement officials in Minnesota arrested 117 people for drunk driving between the hours of 6 p.m. on Sunday and 8 a.m. on Monday. This number represents a sharp decline from last year when 152 people were arrested on New Year’s Eve, including 125 people after the stroke of midnight. Statistics show that 174 people were arrested for DWI on New Year’s Eve in 2015, and 191 were arrested on the same day in 2014.
“If you didn’t make a new year’s resolution, here’s an idea: Always plan ahead and line up a sober ride,” the state traffic safety office when announcing the arrest totals on their Facebook page.”
DWI Arrests Up Overall
DWI arrests in Minnesota had been trending down in recent years, but that’s not the case when looking at the 2017 numbers. There were 25,190 drunk driving arrests made in Minnesota in 2017, up from 23,392 in 2016. That’s good for a 7.6 percent increase in the number of drunk driving arrests.
Despite the uptick this year, Minnesota has been trending downward in recent years. More than 42,000 people were arrested for DWI back in 2006, and more than 28,500 were arrested in 2012. Hopefully we can see the numbers get back on the downswing in 2018.
If you or someone you know was arrested for DUI or another crime over the New Year’s Eve weekend, be sure to reach out to the experienced lawyers at Appelman Law Firm. We were able to help a number of people over the New Year’s holiday, and we can help you if you’re facing charges or an upcoming court date. We offer a free initial case review where you can sit down with a lawyer and talk about your incident, free of charge. We can walk your through your options and if you choose, we can go to work for you.
To set up that free consultation or to speak with someone from our firm, give us a call at (952) 224-2277 or click here.
