A DWI is no holiday: Planning a safe and sober ride can help keep your celebration joyful

OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn. – The holiday season is here, along with the joys and sometimes stress of getting together with friends and family to celebrate. Holiday celebrations and alcohol often go hand-in-hand, and sometimes people lose track of how many drinks they’ve consumed. This can lead to driving while impaired.

To help keep families safely together this holiday season, the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is participating with law enforcement statewide in an extra DWI enforcement and awareness campaign. The campaign begins Nov. 22 and runs weekends through New Year’s Eve. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety coordinates the statewide campaign.    

“This is a special time of year, and sober choices behind the wheel will keep it safe for families across Minnesota,” said Michelle Ness, Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office TZD Coordinator. “Always plan for a safe ride, no matter how you are celebrating this holiday season.”

Impaired is impaired

There's more than one way to be impaired behind the wheel. In addition to alcohol, other substances ranging from cannabis and hemp-derived THC edibles to prescription medications and sleep aids can also affect safe driving abilities.

Sobering statistics

  • From 2018-2022:
    • Fifty people died in drunk driving-related crashes from the day before Thanksgiving through Dec. 31.
    • There were more than 11,000 DWI incidents from the day before Thanksgiving through Dec. 31.
  • Drugged driving accounted for 8,069 DWI incidents from 2013-2017 compared with 15,810 from 2018-2022 — that’s a 96 percent increase.
  • Over the past five years (2018-2022), more than 120,000 people have been arrested for DWI.

DWI consequences

  • Loss of license for up to a year, thousands of dollars in costs and possible jail time.
  • Repeat DWI offenders, as well as first-time offenders arrested at 0.16 and above alcohol-concentration level, must use ignition interlock in order to regain legal driving privileges or face at least one year without a driver’s license.
  • First-time offenders arrested at 0.16 and above are required to use interlock for one year.
  • Offenders with three or more offenses are required to use interlock for three to six years, or they will never regain driving privileges.

A DWI is no holiday

  • On the day before Thanksgiving and over the holiday season, plan a safe and sober ride by designating a sober driver, using a safe, alternative transportation option, or staying at the location of the celebration.
  • Speak up: Offer to be a designated driver or be available to pick up a loved one anytime, anywhere. If you see an impaired person about to get behind the wheel, get them a safe ride home.
  • If you plan to drive, refrain from drugs, whether legally or illegally obtained. Driving high is a DWI.
  • Just like how drinking alcohol in a vehicle is illegal, it’s illegal for drivers or passengers to open cannabis packaging or consume cannabis while driving.
  • Buckle up: It’s the best defense against an impaired driver you may encounter on the road.
  • Report impaired driving: Call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.