After years of troubling DWI statistics, it appears that Minnesotans are starting to get the message about the dangers of drinking and driving during the holiday season.
As we mentioned on the blog previously, law enforcement across the state planned to conduct extra DWI patrols beginning on Thanksgiving and continuing through the New Year’s holiday. The DWI arrest numbers were recently made public, and it shows that there were 1,605 DWI arrests over that period. That’s a stark drop from recent years as you can see below.
Total DWI Arrests During The Extra Holiday Enforcement Period
2024 – 1,605
2023 – 2,432
2022 – 2,228
Increase Seen On New Year’s
Despite the encouraging numbers from the extra enforcement period as a whole, there is still some concern about drunk driving over the New Year’s holiday period. We mentioned that it was the most dangerous time on Minnesota roads in a previous blog, and the DWI metrics from this year back up that statement. The Minnesota State Patrol announced that it made 141 DWI arrests between 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day. That’s about a 15% increase from the same period last year when 122 people were arrested for DWI.
It’s never wise to drive drunk, and while Minnesotans seemed to understand that message between Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s clear that many are still making poor choices during the New Year’s holiday. We always answer our phones 24/7 through New Year’s, but we’d rather that you and your loved ones make some smart choices ahead of time so that you don’t need a lawyer’s help after a mistake.
Whether you need assistance fighting a DWI charge or some other criminal matter, know that the team at Appelman Law Firm is here for you. We can help secure your release from jail and get right into building a strong defense for your case. To learn more about we can bring to your case, consider setting up a free case review session by calling our team at (952) 224-2277.
