DRIVING WHILE

INTOXICATED IN
MINNESOTA
Student’s Name
Course
Professor’s Name
 DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
A term used in referring to the act of
operating a vehicle while under the
influence of alcohol or drugs (Pirius,
2018).
While driving in Minnesota, the alcohol
concentration should always be below 0.08
Minnesota’s laws consider driving a motor
vehicle during in an intoxicated state as a
crime because this can weaken judgment
Driving while intoxicated is a major
concern and it should raise public
awareness regarding its deadly (Source: drugabuse.com)
consequences
HISTORY OF DRUNK DRIVING
• The first ever recorded arrest for drunk driving was in London during
1897
• In the year 1910, The United States introduced its laws against driving
under the influence (DUI)
• In 1949, a drunk driver killed author Margaret Mitchell who was
crossing the street, this became the first high profile fatal case of drunk
driving and gained large media coverage
• In 1953 came the invention of Breathalyzer by Robert Borkenstein
which enabled the detection of intoxication levels of an individual and is
still used in the present time
• Despite this, the public only became conscious of the dangers of drunk
driving in a later period (Raymond, 2011).
 PUBLIC’S LEVEL OF
CONCERN TO
DRUNK DRIVING
 The public considers drunk driving as
a major social issue and a crucial road
safety concern
 There are only a few people who have
knowledge of the country’s statistics
of people’s deaths due to road
accidents caused by drunk driving
 People who distinguish the correlation
of drunk drivers with road accidents
are likely to be concerned with the
issue (Vanlaar, Simpson, Mayhew &
Robertson, 2006).
 People are also inclined to be highly
concerned when they sense the lack of
public awareness of this issue

(Source: dps.mn.gov)
WHY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED IS A
PROBLEM
 Over the years, the number of
teenagers involved with drunk
driving has rapidly increased
 It is reported that the most
common cause of death are
motor vehicle accidents
 Statistics show that teenagers
are deemed the main
perpetrators of this issue due to
inexperience

(Source: dps.mn.gov)
WHY DRIVING WHILE
INTOXICATED IS A
PROBLEM

 Most importantly, over the

years the numbers of road
accidents continue to multiply
because of drunk driving
(Buddy, 2018).

(Source: CDC.gov)
 ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVED:
DRIVER’S PART
 The main question always asked: “are people who drink alcohol or
use drugs morally responsible for their behavior?”
 Drunk driving ultimately places the lives of others at risk
 The decision to drive while knowing one’s intoxicated condition is
deemed intentional
 Drunk drivers should take responsibility for deciding to drink
before driving
 ETHICAL ISSUES
INVOLVED:
AUTHORITIES’ PART
 Concern towards the justification of
authorities issuing drug and alcohol tests
 Tests for blood alcohol concentration
should only be executed by healthcare
professionals during two circumstances:
o Investigation of traffic accidents or
other criminal activities
o Evaluating the health condition of
the patient with the results only be
revealed by legal authorities in
certain situations (Real de Asua &
Gonzales-Cajal, 2012).
 ETHICAL ISSUES
INVOLVED:
ALCOHOL INDUSTRY
 The alcohol industry is
also liable for this
issue as they spread
two falsehoods:
oEveryone consumes
alcohol
oEveryone should
drink responsibly

(Source: heineken.com)
 ETHICAL ISSUES INVOLVED:
ALCOHOL INDUSTRY
 At least fifty percent of alcohol sales in America are from underage
drinkers and alcoholics
 Drunk drivers are generally young beer drinkers (Evans, 2008).
 Advertising campaigns by liquor companies are often targeted to
the young population
 Carlsberg beer commercial “I love you baby” -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKZ2MVZhVA (Carlsberg,
2009)
 CURRENT ACTIONS:
MINNESOTA STATE LAWS ON DRUNK DRIVING
• Minnesota Statutes section 169A.52 states that off-highway
motorcycles, all-terrain vehicle, and off-road vehicle drivers who refuse
to take a test to measure their alcohol concentration is considered a
crime
• The Supreme Court allows an officer to perform a breathalyzer test on a
driver without a warrant but it does need the driver’s consent for it to be
used (Vanlaar, Simpson, Mayhew & Robertson, 2006)
• For urine and blood tests, a warrant is required to be presented
• In 2015 over 250,000 drivers were arrested for drinking while driving
• For a full description of Minnesota’s 2018 Statutes on Chemical Tests
for Intoxication: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169A.52
 CURRENT ACTIONS:
PENALTIES FOR DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED

• There are two penalties that can be implemented for the

perpetrator:
o Administrative
o Criminal

• The severity of these can vary if there is an involvement

of other factors:
o If the perpetrator has committed an offense in the past ten years
o If there is a minor in the car while he/she is driving in an
intoxicated state
 CURRENT ACTIONS:
ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES
• Occurs immediately after the incident
• It entails the revocation of the offender’s driver’s license
• The length of revocation rests on the current offense and if
there are other existing offenses that relate to drunk driving as
well.
• The license plate is also impounded, including other vehicles
registered in the offender’s name
• The issuing by an officer of a plate impoundment is
immediately effective (Pirius, 2018).
 CURRENT ACTIONS:
CRIMINAL PENALTIES
• The officer is capable of filing a criminal case against the drunk
driver
• The drunk driver will experience a minimum of ninety days jail time
that can extend to seven years depending on the severity of the
offense
• Penalized fine ranges from $1000 to $14000 dollars
• For first- or second-degree crimes, offenders are taken into custody
and are detained until appearing in the court.
• Non-felony offenders can have a pre-trial release if they post bail,
withdraw from alcohol intake and submit to a daily test of
breathalyzer (Johnson, 2018).
 THEORETICAL REVIEWS:
SELF-CONTROL THEORY
 Developed by Gottfredson and Hirschi in 1990 as a portion of
their general theory of crime
 Self-control Theory is about the individual’s lack of self-control
as the main factor in underlying criminal behavior
 This theory is applicable to illegal and non-crime behaviors such
as substance abuse, mishaps, and problems in school (De Ridder,
Lensvelt0Mulder, Finkenauer, Stok & Baumeister, 2012).
 Self-control theory emphasizes that alcohol use and its negative
effects are commonly caused by the individual’s low self-control
 THEORETICAL REVIEWS:
SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY
 Social Learning Theory perceives that people learn from the presence of others by
observing their behaviors, attitudes, and its outcomes (Winfree, Giever, Maupin &
Mays, 2008).
 This theory emerges from recognizing how children while growing up are influenced
by multiple models such as parents, teachers, and friends which shapes their own
characteristics
 In examining behaviors in drunk driving, Social Learning Theory highlights different
elements where the motives and methods of the crime are assimilated and reinforced.
 Drinking behaviors are influenced by friends and parents who have liberal attitudes
towards alcohol advertisements and the act of drinking
 Confidence in driving and belief that they will not be caught if they are intoxicated
are major components in the occurrence of drunk driving
 THEORETICAL REVIEWS:
PERSONALITY THEORY
 Personality Theory addresses the uniqueness of an individual’s own
feelings, thoughts, and actions
 In application to drunk driving, this theory is used in researching how
personality affects criminal behavior, particularly DWI
 Results from conducted research show that multiple offenders had
indications of being hostile, depressed, obsessed, and had low
emotional adjustment and confidence (Boyle, Matthews, Saklofske,
2008).
 This theory ultimately connotes how a person’s personality impacts
their drinking behaviors
SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM:
MAAD PROGRAM
• MAAD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) Program was created by
Candy Lightner who lost her daughter in 1980 due to an intoxicated
driver who had been a repeat offender of drunk driving
• The MAAD campaign aimed to completely condemn drunk driving
• Its goal is to drive the state to implement stricter laws and increase
the punishment for drunk drivers
• Link to MAAD https://www.madd.org/

(Source: maad.org)
RESULTS OF MAAD PROGRAM
• The legal drinking age in the United States became 21 years old
• Convicted impaired drivers were penalized in different ways:
• Payment of fine
• Jail time
• Increase in car insurance rates
• Losing or revocation of driver’s license
• Issuing of using an ignition interlock device in their vehicles

(Source: maad.org)
 SOLUTIONS: NETS PROGRAM
• The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety or NETS encourages the
education of employers to their employees of the negative implications
brought by driving while drunk.
• NETS launches multiple strategies such as the distribution of fact
sheets, safety tips and details regarding driving while intoxicated to
further raise public awareness.
• Together with statewide impaired driving campaigns and local efforts,
they spread alertness towards preventing the problem of drunk driving.

Link to Minnesota NETS website:

https://www.minnesotasafetycouncil.org/nets/ImpairedDrivingMaterials.c
fm

(Source: minnesotasafetycouncil.org)
 NETS’ STRATEGIES
• NETS continuous goals in road safety in Minnesota is an effective
movement for stopping the act of driving while intoxicated.
• NETS spreads different video campaigns that would warn people of the
dangers of Drunk Driving and prevent them from doing it.
• Two examples of their video campaign are:
o “Never Drink and Drive”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otR8V7rlnjA&list=TLSSKQrX
BnjIUzZtR_41i%E2%80%90FW3_bmzqwWyG
o “What Impacts Your Blood Alcohol Concentration”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faTF8wpZ4gA

(Source: minnesotasafetycouncil.org)
 SOLUTIONS: RISE OF VARIOUS
OTHER CAMPAIGNS
• Other than NETS, Minnesota’s authorities, The Minnesota Department of
Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS), launch a campaign
against drunk driving
• They aimed to prevent and control impaired driving
• 300 agencies joined and during this period, more arrests were done, and the
road mileage of drivers was strictly monitored
• Distributed Brochure of DPS-OTS on Consequences of “DWI”-
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/educational-materials/Documents/impaired
-dwi-consequences.pdf
SOLUTIONS: ONE-DAY DWI (DRIVING
WHILE INTOXICATED) PROGRAM
• Alternative Sanction in Hennepin County for first-time offenders
• It required the drunk drivers to attend programs that would ultimately aid to
their prevention of repeating said offense.
• Programs implemented by the One-day DWI: cognitive therapy, alcohol
education, and self-assessment
• These programs were a success, but the prevention of drunk driving still
requires more conscious effort and work (Minnesota Department of Public
Safety, 2015).
• Link to Hennepin’s One-Day DWI Program and Online Registration:
https://www.hennepin.us/residents/public-safety/one-day-dwi
REASONS FOR CHOOSING TO STUDY
THE SCOPE OF DRIVING WHILE
INTOXICATED
• To self-educate and share the knowledge regarding the statistics
and facts of Driving While Intoxicated in the State of Minnesota
• To contribute to the efforts of others in raising public awareness of
the negative implications of Drunk Driving
• To promote these programs (MAAD, NETS, DPS-OTS, One-Day
DWI) and made the audience be conscious of its existence
• To show support in condemning the act of Drinking While
Intoxicated
 REFLECTION OF MY CAPSTONE
EXPERIENCE
• This experience has been an eye-opener, it has been engrained to
me that driving while intoxicated does not just affect the
individual, its deadly consequences extend to other people as
well
• Despite multiple campaigns and actions are done by the public to
prevent and completely diminish drunk driving, more efforts
should be given not just by the citizens, but the authorities as well
since the occurrence of drunk driving is still common
• From now on, I should encourage the people around me to not
drive if he or she is drunk
 APPLICATION OF MY BACHELOR’S
DEGREE
• My Criminal Justice Degree shall help me in being a
changed agent by always prioritizing the safety of the
citizens and prevent any possible harm or impending danger
• I would strictly implement the state’s laws especially in
road safety to diminish reckless drivers and encourage them
in abiding the regulations
• I would make sure that proper justice would be given to the
victims, enforcing the established penalties to the criminals
so that they would know the graveness of their actions
• Lastly, I would be a good Police Officer by protecting my
community, responding to any calls for assistance and
constantly giving aid so that resolutions to problems would
be faster.
 REFERENCES
2018 Minnesita Statutes. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/169A.51
Boyle, G. J.; Matthews, G., & Saklofske, D. H. (2008). Personality Theories and Models: An Overview". Humanities & Social Sciences Papers.
Buddy, T. (2018). The Dangers of Drunk Driving. Cold, Hard Facts About How Alcohol Impairs Your Driving Skills.
Carlsberg. (2009). Carlsberg- i love you baby [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRKZ2MVZhVA
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016). Sobering Facts: Drunk Driving in Minnesota [Image]. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/pdf/impaired_driving/Drunk_Driving_in_MN.pdf
Christianson, T. (2016). Facts, History about Drunk Driving In Minnesota. Winona Post.
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Evans, L. (2008). Death In Traffic: Why Are The Ethical Issues Ignored?" Studies In Ethics, Law, And Technology. 2(1).
 REFERENCES
Heinström, J. (2013). Personality Theory. Theory in Information Behavior Research. Sheffield, UK: Eiconics Limited
Johnson, B. (2018). An Overview of Minnesota’s DWI Laws. Research Department. Minnesota House of Representatives.
Labrie, J. W., Huchting, K., Pedersen, E. R., Hummer, J. F., Shelesky, K., & Tawalbeh, S. (2007). Female College Drinking and the Social Learning Theory: An
Examination of the Developmental Transition Period from High School to College. Journal of College Student Development, 48(3), 344–356.
MAAD Mothers Against Drunk Driving. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.madd.org/
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https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/ots/law-enforcement/Documents/2015%20Impaired%20Driving%20Facts%20accessible.pdf
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