A pretext stop occurs when law enforcement pulls a driver over for a minor traffic violation and then uses that relatively inconsequential alleged misconduct as an opportunity to investigate an unrelated suspicion, such as driving while intoxicated (DWI). While this...
Facing a driving while impaired (DWI) charge in Minnesota means that you may have to deal with considerable consequences. These include imprisonment, fines, license suspension, community service and ignition interlock device (IID) requirements. The exact penalties...
In some cases, people who are arrested on DWI charges in Minnesota are surprised to learn they failed the breath test. They may admit to having had a drink or two, but they didn’t believe they were impaired or intoxicated. Most importantly, they didn’t expect their...
Many people enjoy drinking alcohol, feel they need to drive, and also want to avoid DWI charges. For instance, someone may go out for drinks with friends after a long week at work. But if they drove their car to the bar or restaurant, they may not want to leave it...
A drunk driving charge has serious legal consequences that can impact people for a long time. In Minnesota, one of the penalties for getting convicted is the required installation of an ignition interlock device (IID). But who needs to install one? Understanding the...
Tackling impaired driving is a top priority for law enforcement. Every year, thousands of people are injured and some are killed due to drunk driving accidents. This is why the police conduct traffic stops -- or at least it’s one reason the police should conduct...
Most people will tell you that they know they shouldn’t drink and drive. But they may not mean that as literally as it sounds. Many people will be completely fine with getting in the car after having a glass of wine with dinner or a beer while they watch a football...
Many people think about alcohol when they hear about impaired driving, but it’s also possible to be impaired by drugs. Illegal drugs, prescription medications and over-the-counter medications can all cause impairment. Being charged with drugged driving is a bit...
Anyone can be arrested on drunk driving charges. They could be 16 and just a few weeks out from getting a license, or they could be in their 80s with an entire lifetime of driving experience. DWI laws and restrictions apply to everyone. However, the statistics do...
In Minnesota, around one-third of all traffic deaths each year involve alcohol. The court system has several tools available to try to reduce this number. One of those is an ignition interlock, which is a device that checks a driver’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC)...
