MINNEAPOLIS- Minneapolis Police officers arrested 55 impaired motorists during a two and a half week statewide, end-of-summer DWI enforcement effort. The MPD was among the nearly 400 law enforcement agencies across the state participating in the effort conducted by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) from August 21st through September 7th.
In addition to DWI enforcement during the campaign, the Minneapolis Police Department also issued 67 seat belt citations under Minnesota's new primary seat belt law. Under this law officers can stop motorists solely for seat belt violations, including unbelted passengers.
From 2006 to 2008, 519 motorists were killed and another 1,159 motorists were seriously injured in alcohol-related crashes statewide. During that same time period 116,515 motorists were arrested for DWI; 35,736 in 2008. In Hennepin County during 2006 to 2008, there were 60 impaired driving deaths, 174 serious injuries and 23,891 DWI violations issued. The local economic impact of alcohol-related fatalities was estimated at $69,840,000.
"Drinking and driving continues to be a serious issue in our community," says Sgt Scott Olson. "The Minneapolis Police Department's officers are committed to keeping Minneapolis motorists safe by taking impaired drivers off our roads."
The enforcement and education effort is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is a component of the state's Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety program. TZD is an interdisciplinary approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care.
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