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DWI patrols get ready for St. Pat's Day
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Extra patrols soon will be out in the state's 13 deadliest counties for impaired driving as St. Patrick's Day approaches, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety said Friday.
The department said the St. Patrick's holiday is one of the busiest periods of the year for impaired driving. During 2005-2007 over the St. Patrick's Day period, alcohol-related crashes accounted for seven of the 12 traffic deaths and 13 serious injuries. Also, 1,575 drivers were arrested on suspicion of drunken driving.
State officials said they expected a spike in impaired driving to come this weekend, ahead of St. Patrick's Day, which is Tuesday.
"There is a history of partying on St. Patrick's Day, but not a history of planning for a sober driver," said Lt. Matt Langer of the State Patrol. "Added DWI patrols are necessary to arrest impaired drivers and as a result, prevent deaths on Minnesota roads."
The 13 counties drawing the extra attention will be Anoka, Blue Earth, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright.
In the past three years, these counties accounted for nearly half of the state's alcohol-related deaths and serious injuries.
PAUL WALSH
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