Staying Safe on the Road This Holiday Season
Christmas Was the Most Deadly Holiday on the Roads Last Year
With the fuel prices being down, more cars are expected to be on the roads this holiday season, and that includes police cars. Law enforcement agencies statewide started a DWI enforcement campaign that runs every weekend until January 2nd.
“There’s going to be over 300 law enforcement agencies involved in this,” said Officer Neil Dickenson of the Minnesota State Patrol.
Each year around this time, the number of people driving under the influence increases.
“The officers, troopers or deputies are going to work extra shifts to look for impaired drivers, and our job is to get those impaired drivers off the road, before they hurt themselves, or somebody else.”
The Minnesota state law says that the legal blood-alcohol concentration limit is 0.08%, but it’s not just that number that can get you in trouble during a traffic stop.
Those who seem to be driving recklessly will be put through a series of field sobriety tests.
And if drivers show signs of being impaired, they can still be arrested and charged for a BAC less than the legal limit.
But with more cars combined with bad weather, the roads can be dangerous for even those abiding by the law.
Authorities advise that it’s important to keep your car properly maintained, to drive slowly, and to avoid using cruise control when the roads are slick.
The most dangerous holiday last year was Christmas, with 9 deaths and 325 injuries in Minnesota, so stay safe and drive defensively this holiday Season.
