Authorities plan extra patrols in Minnesota's 'deadliest counties'

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said Friday it plans extra patrols next year in 13 counties that had more than half of the state's alcohol-related deaths and serious injuries in the past three years.

Extra DWI patrols will be conducted in Anoka, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Ramsey, Rice, St. Louis, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington and Wright counties. The counties had 267 deaths and 605 serious injuries from crashes that were alcohol-related from 2006-2008.

The 13 counties are among the 14 most populated counties in the state.

The Department of Public Safety said so-called enhanced patrols in the state's deadliest counties for impaired driving have resulted in 13,453 DWI arrests in the last five years. That's about the equivalent of one arrest per 16 traffic stops, authorities said.

The stepped-up patrols are made through a coordinated effort between the Minnesota State Patrol, county sheriff's offices and local police departments.