Government agencies and community organizations throughout Minnesota have worked to provide advocacy and education on the dangers of driving while intoxicated. At the end of the day, however, every motorist has the responsibility to decide if they are impaired to the point where they should not get behind the wheel.
In 2016, more than 10,000 people lost their lives because of alcohol-impaired automobile accidents. This translated into 28 percent of traffic fatalities being connected to alcohol. Communities, religious organizations and businesses are all working to lower the prevalence of drunk driving.
In November 2017, the Trump administration proclaimed December 2017 to be National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The goal of this proclamation is to add emphasis to the idea that there is no time when driving impaired is acceptable. In the proclamation, the President emphasized the idea that impaired driving can be eliminated by people making the right choice to drive sober. At the end of the day, the responsibility to prevent drunk driving fatalities and accidents lies with each person.
In all 50 states, a driver is considered intoxicated if they have a blood-alcohol level of .08 percent or higher. While an individual can still be charged with a DUI if their blood alcohol content is lower than .08 percent, the prosecution would have to show that the offender was impaired. A criminal defense attorney can help a client charged with a DWI by challenging the results of field sobriety tests and breath tests. This may involve showing that medical conditions, such as diabetic ketoacidosis, led to a false positive during a breath test.