A DWI Is No Holiday: Impaired Is Impaired Whether You're Driving Under The Influence of Alcohol or Drugs

ROCHESTER, 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 under the influence.    

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 starting Nov. 23 and running through New Year’s Eve. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety coordinates the statewide campaign.    

“Impaired driving can truly kill the holiday spirit, whether it’s a loved one in jail or losing someone to an impaired driver,” said Olmsted County Sheriff's Office TZD Coordinator Michelle Ness. “If you know you are going to be driving, don’t drink or take drugs that can impair your ability to drive. Unfortunately, too many people believe they are ok to drive when they are not, and that can lead to a lifetime of regret. Always plan for a safe ride, whether you are at an establishment, drinking at home or at a friend’s house.”

Impaired is Impaired

Law enforcement will be looking for drivers who appear impaired, whether by alcohol or other substances. Driving while impaired by any substance is illegal. Drugged driving incidents are on the rise, and it’s a growing concern for Minnesota law enforcement.

Driving Safe and Sober. The Perfect Holiday Gift.

There's more than one way to be under the influence behind the wheel. If you feel different, you drive different. It can be from alcohol, THC edibles, illegal drug use, antidepressants, opioids, sleep aids, abuse of prescription medications, and even common over-the-counter drugs.

Sobering Statistics

• There were 620 drunk driving-related traffic deaths in Minnesota in the last five years.
• Alcohol-related crashes not only take lives, they change them forever. An average of 377 life-changing injuries (2017-2021) are caused by alcohol-related crashes each year.
• Drugged driving incidents accounted for 6,941 incidents from 2012-2016 compared with 15,747 from 2017-2021. That’s a 227 percent increase over a five year period.

Holiday DWI Arrests (Day before Thanksgiving – Dec. 31) 

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

• Plan for a safe ride: designate a sober driver, use a safe, alternative transportation option, or stay 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.
• Some medications are fine on their own but can impair you when mixed with other medications or alcohol - even a small amount. Learn about the interactions and talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
• Buckle up: the best defense against an impaired driver.
• Report impaired driving: call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.