Editorial: Drinking? Driving? Think again

Published 12:00 am Friday, August 31, 2007

When you are on the road this Labor Day weekend, remember this:

Law enforcement officers across the state of Minnesota beefed up patrols starting Aug. 17 as part of an effort to target impaired drivers. That effort continues through Labor Day.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says 166 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes last year. Nearly 42,000 were arrested for drunken driving last year, which set a record.

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For the sake of everyone, don&8217;t drink and drive.

Moreover, don&8217;t let your friends drink and drive. You have a responsibility to them. When they say they are OK to drive, they might be too drunk to make that judgment.

The signs that say &8220;Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving&8221; are correct. A few beers might affect your judgment more than you think. Just play it safe.

Here are some facts from the Department of Public Safety:

– The legal alcohol limit for drivers in Minnesota is 0.08. It is always illegal to drive with an alcohol-concentration level of 0.08 or above. Motorists can be arrested under 0.08 if they demonstrate impaired driving behavior. If a motorist&8217;s alcohol concentration is at 0.08 percent or higher, it is a criminal offense with penalties ranging from misdemeanor to felony. It is also a violation of civil law that triggers automatic driver license revocation for a minimum of 90 days for a first-time offense.

– From 2004 to 2006, Minnesota averaged 540 traffic deaths per year &8212; 180 (33 percent) per year were impaired-driving related.