Tonight is New Year’s Eve, and it’s also the most dangerous time to be on the road for Minnesotans. Drunk driving data found that New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is far and away the most dangerous holiday on the roads, far surpassing the second most dangerous holiday period, which is the Fourth of July.
From 2017 to 2023, January 1 resulted in nearly 11 percent more drunk driving arrests across Minnesota than the second-busiest holiday, Independence Day. When you combine the pre- and post-midnight New Year’s period, those two days led to nearly 1,500 arrests in that seven-year period, which is 62 percent higher than Independence Day over that same stretch.
As we’ve already mentioned on the blog, police have announced that they will have extra DWI enforcement on the roads throughout New Year’s Day. Many law enforcement echo the sentiments put forth by Mike Hanson, Director of the Office of Traffic Safety, which is that Minnesotans should plan ahead if they plan on ringing in the new year with alcohol.
“It’s really simple. You just have to have a plan ahead of time that you can stick to,” said Hanson. “It’s a place to stay. It’s someone who is going to be completely sober who can get you home.”
Drunk Driving On The Uptick
The plea to be mindful about getting home safely after a night of drinking comes at a time when drunk driving arrests are increasing across the state. DWI arrests fell to about 22,600 during the pandemic, but that number has been slowly increasing in recent years, jumping all the way to 27,200 in 2023. There have been about 24,800 DWI arrests in Minnesota through December 19 of this year, but when you factor in the holiday season and the expected jump at the end of the year, it’s possible that we’ll once again see an increase in total DWI arrests this year.
So please, plan ahead and know how you are getting home safely tonight. Don’t take a chance or assume that you are safe because you’re only driving a short distance. Police will be out in full force, and they won’t be giving warnings to drivers who are under the influence. We want you to have a happy New Year, but as Hanson said, “there is no such thing as a happy New Year if you wind up in a jail cell.”
If you need help contesting a DWI arrest or similar criminal matter this year or at some point in 2025, please reach out to Avery and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
