Every year, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) reviews and reports on all aspects related to the prior year’s drunk driving in the state. This includes looking at DUI arrests, multiple offenses, accidents, and drunk-driving related injuries and deaths. In September 2016, the DPS-OTS released 2015’s drunk driving statistics and facts. Here is a synopsis of what the report found.
Top 2015 Drunk Driving Stats & Facts
- 25,027 impair-related arrests
- 1st offense DUIs made up more than half of all 2015 violations
- 7% of all traffic-related injuries were drunk-driving related
- 23% of all traffic-related deaths were drunk-driving related
Why It’s Important to Have a Lawyer Represent You in a DUI Case
Interestingly, convictions for drunk driving varied somewhat significantly across county lines. The state-wide average was 71%, with county-specific numbers as low as 54% and as high as 96%.
It is possible to attribute the variances in convictions rates to numerous factors, with one in particular that comes top of mind: the right legal representation. If you hire the right lawyer—one with experience, knowledge and tenacity—your chances of a DUI conviction decrease.
Factors to Consider When Hiring the Right DUI Lawyer
As your choice of attorney may mean the difference between conviction or not, you should interview at least two or three lawyers before you hire one to represent you. During your interviews, ask each attorney about the following:
- Their years of experience handling DUI cases
- Their education and any special training in DUI law
- Their drunk driving defense success rate
- Their process for handling your case
- What is required of you during your case
While past successes are no guarantee for what will occur in your case, and while education isn’t everything, all of these factors combine to show you what kind of advocate each lawyer will be. If you need help working through the factors, or if you would like to consider our firm when making your choice, we welcome you to call our office at 763-241-0477. Our defense lawyers are happy to serve you however we can.