Ortonville PD Results

ONE MOTORIST STUFFED AND CUFFED DURING DECEMBER DWI RAID

Ortonville Police Department arrested one impaired driver during the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) statewide December-long impaired driving enforcement campaign. Around 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies participated in the effort.

A DWI can result in loss of license for at least 90 days and cost up to $20,000 when factoring in increased insurance costs, legal and other fees. There are more than one-half million Minnesotans with a DWI on record — translating to one in eight Minnesota drivers with a DWI. During 2006–2008 in Big Stone County, 111 were arrested for DWI.

During the campaign, Ortonville Police Department also issued zero seat belt citations. Each year around 75 percent of impaired drivers killed in crashes are also not belted. During 2006–2008 in Big Stone County, there was one alcohol-related death of which they were unbelted. Statewide during this same period there were 394 alcohol-related deaths of which 256 were unbelted.

The primary seat belt law became effective in June 2009. Drivers and passengers in any seat, even in the back, must be belted or in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement will stop and ticket motorists and passengers for belt violations. Belt fines are more than $100.

“DWI and seat belt enforcement are critical to traffic safety and we’ll continue these enhanced patrols throughout the new year to change driver behavior and establish safer roads,” says Chief of Police Jason Mork. “We count on motorists to be our partner in this effort by having a plan for a safe and sober ride, buckling up and always insisting your passengers are belted, too.”

In the last three years on Minnesota roads, alcohol-related crashes accounted for 519 traffic deaths and 1,159 serious injuries. During this same period 116,515 motorists were arrested for DWI. In Big Stone County during 2006–2008, there was one impaired driving death, three serious injuries and 111 DWIs. The local economic impact of alcohol-related fatalities was $1,210,000.

The DWI enforcement is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered by the Department of Public Safety. The campaign is a component of the state’s cornerstone traffic safety platform, Toward Zero Deaths (TZD). TZD uses a multidisciplinary approach to reduce crashes, fatalities and injuries through enhanced enforcement, improved engineering, educational outreach and efficient emergency trauma response.