Officials launch program to reduce DWIs

Minnesota Department of Public Safety officials are launching a campaign designed to make the roads safer this holiday season.

Beginning Thursday, December 6, more than 400 law enforcement agencies will focus on Minnesota's 15 deadliest impaired driving counties. A similar enforcement campaign last year netted more than 3,300 DWI arrests.

The Director of the Office of Traffic Safety, Cheri Marti says impaired driving remains one of the biggest threats on Minnesota's roads.

"Last year a record high number of motorists were arrested for DWI. And another sad milestone, Minnesota recently reported that more than one-half Million Minnesotans have a DWI on their record,"says Marti.

Marti says each year alcohol-related crashes kill 150 to 200 people on Minnesota roads. The NightCAP campaign is funded through a 1-point-four Million dollar federal grant and is scheduled to run through the beginning of January.