Dog Days of Summer DWI Crackdown Bares Teeth at Drunk Drivers
Monday, August 23rd, 2010 at 9:36 amALBERT LEA/FREEBORN COUNTY, Minn. — Law enforcement agencies will be cracking down on impaired drivers as part of a statewide DWI enforcement effort, August 20–Sept. 6. The three weekends this enforcement period covers were among the top 11 deadliest weekends of the year for drunk driving deaths over the last three years, 2007–2009.
The effort is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) Office of Traffic Safety. Around 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies will participate in the effort aimed toward taking impaired drivers off the road and encouraging motorists to make safe decisions. Last year, alcohol-related crashes factored in 141 deaths of 421 total road fatalities.
Officers will combine DWI patrols with seat belt enforcement as each year 75 percent of drinking drivers killed are also not belted. Minnesota’s primary seat belt law requires drivers and passengers in all seating positions —including the back seat — to be buckled up or in the correct child restraint. Law enforcement will stop and ticket drivers and passengers solely for seat belt violations.
“If you don’t want to get arrested for DWI, if you don’t want to kill or injure yourself or others, if you don’t want your life turned upside down — get in the habit of planning for a safe and sober ride,” says Lieutenant J.D. Carlson. “It’s that simple, the fight against drunk driving has gone on long enough. There’s no excuse for driving impaired.”
DPS reports enhanced DWI enforcement campaigns factored in the state tallying a record-low number of alcohol-related deaths in 2009. Last year, 141 motorists were killed in alcohol-related crashes — 3 in Freeborn County. Despite the drop in deaths, DPS reports alcohol-related crashes still accounted for more than one-third of all road deaths — matching historical trends.
During 2007–2009, there were 1,386 traffic deaths statewide of which 494 motorists alcohol-related. During that same time period 107,376 motorists were arrested for DWI — 32,759 last year. In Freeborn County during 2007–2009, there were 26 traffic deaths of which 5 were alcohol-related. Another 542 motorists were arrested for DWI — one in seven Minnesota drivers has a DWI on record. The local economic impact of alcohol-related fatalities was $6,160,000.
Minnesota law states that motorists can be arrested for impaired driving even if their alcohol-concentration level is under 0.08 — the state’s legal limit — if they demonstrate impaired driving behavior. The consequences of a DWI can vary depending on many factors including alcohol-concentration, previous offenses and if there was an injury related to a crash. A first-time DWI offense will trigger an automatic driver’s license revocation for up to a year. The cost of a DWI can reach $20,000 when factoring legal, court and other administrative fees.
Those arrested for DWI now have an option to regain their driving privileges sooner by having an interlock device installed in their vehicle. Potential participants of the Minnesota Ignition Interlock Program can learn more at www.minnesotaignitioninterlock.org. Interlock devices are installed in vehicles and require a driver to provide a breath sample in order for the vehicle to start. Safety officials say interlocks ensure DWI offenders are driving legally and safely. Interlocks will be required by law beginning in July 1, 2011, for certain DWI offenders.
Lt. Carlson reminds Freeborn County motorists, especially young adults, to plan ahead for a safe ride home before celebrating. Young people continue to be the primary violators when it comes to impaired driving offenses. Statewide from 2007–2009, nearly 32,000 motorists 24 years of age and younger were arrested for DWI. In Freeborn County 180 motorists arrested for DWI were age 24 and younger — including 60 under the legal drinking age.
The enforcement and education effort is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths(TZD) traffic safety program. TZD is the state’s core traffic safety program that uses a multidisciplinary approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering and emergency trauma care. The goal of the TZD is fewer than 400 road deaths by 2010.
Back to School Party Period a Reminder of Dangers and Consquences of Underage Drinking
Thursday, August 19th, 2010 at 1:24 pmALBERT LEA/FREEBORN COUNTY, Minn. — Local law enforcement agencies are urging parents to talk with their teens, as well as those college-bound, about the consequences of underage drinking — an important reminder as summer draws to a close and big party weekends loom with students returning to the school or campus. Law enforcement officers are also reminding parents about the consequences of providing alcohol to minors.
The safety message comes as around 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies ramp up DWI patrols through Labor Day. In addition to preventing illegal underage drinking, the effort intends to curb young people from drinking and driving.
“Young adults take plenty of risks, including drinking and driving,” says Lieutenant J.D. Carlson. “With parties going on during the start of the school year, we’re asking students to think twice about making dangerous decisions and encouraging parents to be our partners in this effort.”
The state’s “Not a Drop” law says driving minors cited for any amount of alcohol use will lose their license from 30 to 180 days, and face up to a $700 fine and 90 days in jail. Minors will lose their license until age 18 if they are arrested for DWI or involved in an impaired driving crash or crime. Trying to purchase alcohol with a fake ID can result in a loss of driving privileges for at least 90 days.
Adults who provide alcohol to underage drinkers will be held responsible and face serious criminal and legal consequences and are also subject to civil liability in cases of injury, property damage or death. Civil liability is not covered by most insurance.
“If an adult provides alcohol to an underage person and that person is killed or injured or if they kill or injure someone else, the adult can be charged with a felony and face time in prison,” says Lt. Carlson.
SPECIAL CLOSED COUNCIL MEETING
Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 3:33 pmAugust 9, 2010
CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER
221 EAST CLARK STREET
ALBERT LEA, MN 56007
In accordance with Section 3.01 of the Charter of the City of Albert Lea and with applicable State law, you are hereby notified that a special closed meeting for preliminary consideration of allegations or charges against an individual subject to its authority of the Albert Lea City Council has been called by Mayor Michael K. Murtaugh and will be conducted at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, August 9, 2010 in the City Center Council Chambers.
This notice is served as a requirement of Minnesota Statue 13D.05 subd.2(b)
___/s/________________________
Secretary to the City Council
POLICE DEPARTMENT & SHERIFF’S OFFICE PUTS THE BRAKES ON SPEEDING MOTORISTS DURING JULY ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 at 3:15 pmALBERT LEA/FREEBORN COUNTY, Minn. — Throughout July, Albert Lea Police Department officers and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies conducted enhanced speed patrols and cited 158 motorists traveling at illegal speeds during a statewide speed enforcement campaign administrated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety.
“Every time you get behind the wheel put safety first — travel at the posted speed limit and reduce your risk for a crash,” says Lt. J.D. Carlson. “The posted speed is the speed limit.”
Speeding is the most commonly reported factor in fatal crashes. Each year in Minnesota, speed contributes to more than 100 traffic deaths and 300 life-altering, serious injuries. In the three-year period 2007–2009 in Minnesota, speed contributed to 9 traffic deaths in Freeborn County and 325 fatalities statewide — resulting in an economic impact of more than $390 million.
In Freeborn County, a typical 10 mph over the limit speeding ticket can cost $120. Among those cited for speed, those most in excess were an individual cited in Freeborn County for 71 mph in a 30 mph zone, and in Albert Lea for 59 mph in a 40 mph zone. The highest speed recorded was 87 mph in a 55 mph zone in Freeborn County. Freeborn County deputies cited 130 of the 158 total.
The speed enforcement and education effort is coordinated by the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety. The campaign is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Death program (TZD). TZD is a multi-agency approach to address traffic issues regionally through enforcement, education, engineering, and emergency trauma care and response.
Obey the Sign. Or Pay the Fine.
Albert Lea featured in ‘US News and World Report’ article
Monday, August 2nd, 2010 at 8:21 amAlbert Lea is featured in the latest issue of “U.S. News and World Report” on newsstands now.
The article, “A Town’s Health Makeover. How the Minnesota community of Albert Lea is going after a longer and fitter life span,” highlights 2009’s Blue Zones project and the work the National Vitality Center, Statewide Health Improvement Program and Pioneering Healthier Communities are doing now.
For more information about the National Vitality Center, SHIP and PHC go to www.healthyfreeborncounty.org or contact Pat Garbisch at coordinator@nationalvitalitycenter.org or 507-369-5545.