Put Your Trust In
Minnesota drivers may be aware of one embarrassing consequence of a DWI conviction. A court may order a driver to register all of his or her vehicles with special plates after a DWI conviction with certain aggravating factors. Many feel the special plates, called “whiskey” plates because they begin with the letter “W,” serve no purpose other than to make…
When police pull over a vehicle and arrest the driver for driving while impaired, the investigation into those charges likely began before the driver stopped. In fact, it is likely that police had their suspicions that the driver had been drinking before they decided to stop the vehicle. Those suspicions and the reason for pulling a driver over will likely…
Like Minnesota and a disturbing number of other states, Michigan faces problems with the breathalyzers it uses during drunk-driving stops. This January, the state stopped a $1.3 million-a-year contract with the company that watches its breathalyzer machines for accuracy. Police, courts and the public generally trusted breathalyzer results without question, until recently. Now, in one story after another across the…
Since the winter of 2010-2011, only about one out of every five snowmobile deaths in Minnesota happened before New Year’s Day. In other words, about 80% of snowmobile fatalities wait until after the holiday season. Year after year, and across neighboring states, the pattern holds. Now is the right time for Minnesotans to review snowmobile safety. And among the most…
Minnesota is not the place you want to see those flashing lights in your rear-view mirror, especially if you have been drinking or if the officer only suspects you have been drinking. The reason is that we have the toughest laws in the country for dealing with drivers under the influence of alcohol, according to a recent analysis by a…
Drivers coming home from the bar often panic when they see red and blue lights flashing in their rearview mirror. However, some state officials are starting to question the validity and accuracy of Breathalyzer tests in assessing if someone is above the legal limit. According to a recent report, a Minnesota judge ruled in 2018 that many of the states…
The prosecution of DUI cases often depends upon the readings provided by Breathalyzers. These hand-held science labs are sophisticated tools that analyze the driver’s breath to determine if they are over the legal limit for driving under the influence. Millions of convictions are based on these devices indicating whether the reading is .08 or higher. There is now an investigation…
A recent change to the law has tightened a loophole which existed in Minnesota law, particularly when it comes to “Huffing,” but the activity of Drugged Driving is one that many drivers are still unsure about. So here are a few key details you need to be aware of when it comes to what might happen if you are caught…
Being charged with a DUI or DWI is a distressing experience at the best of times but if you are an immigrant living in the USA it could have even more serious and life-changing consequences. Like most states in America, Minnesota has a large population of immigrants from all over the world living and working here and, despite all being…
Taking a risk while driving impaired always has serious consequences, but driving while impaired with children in your vehicle makes the penalties even worse for obvious reasons. In Minnesota, having a minor under the age of 16 in your vehicle during a DWI is an “aggravating factor” that will increase the degree of the DWI charges and increase the standard…