Minnesota Department of Public Safety Celebrates "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Impaired Drivers"

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Filed under: Transportation

As you head out to enjoy this prolonged, especially festive weekend commemorating our nation’s 232nd birthday, take note: police throughout the state will be pulling extra duty on highways and byways in hunt of the most dangerous game of all— the elusive drunk driver.

The Department of Public Safety this week unleashed a statewide crackdown that will run through the month. Officials expect 400 police agencies statewide to participate, which will entail 8,000 extra hours of police presence during prime drunk driving hours (late nights and weekends).

In years past, the DPS timed similar efforts in conjunction with Labor Day Weekend. But with the Sept. 1-4 Republican National Convention requiring law enforcement’s full attention, officials decided to implement the program in July.

“This is the first time we’ve done it in the middle summer,” says Nathan Bowie, a spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. “Which makes sense, because this is when impaired driving is at its peak. Last year’s Labor Day. During the last three years, there’s been 30 car crash fatalities during Fourth of July weekend, and 16 were a result of drunk driving.”

One in eight Minnesotan drivers has a DWI on their record, according to the DPS. Five in eight Minnesotans are really good at driving drunk. (Don't risk it.)