Planning ahead for a sober ride during the Labor Day holiday might be a good choice as law enforcement plans to crack down on drunk drivers during a stepped-up statewide driving while intoxicated enforcement effort Aug. 16 through Sept. 1. The statewide campaign is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety.

An impaired driving news conference was held Friday at the Olmsted County Government Center as a kick off to the enforcement campaign.

Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede signed a proclamation declaring “Impaired Driving Victims Day.” More than twenty families who have lost a loved one due to impaired driving attended. Mothers Against Drunk Driving ribbons were placed on attendees as a reminder of the dangers of impaired driving. A plaque that hangs in the Government Center commemorating 53 lives lost due to impaired drivers was shown as a reminder of the many lives that have been changed forever. The “Remembering Victims of Impaired Drivers” license plate was displayed. It is a special plate that is available for display on any passenger vehicle to commemorate those who have lost their lives due to impaired driving.

As part of the education campaign, Toward Zero Deaths has partnered with AAA to provide impaired driving cards. The cards give factual information on one side, along with the tragic story of how impaired driving impacted the Melville family. The Melvilles distribute these cards at MADD Victim Impact Panels across southern Minnesota. Law enforcement will also be distributing these educational cards to non-impaired motorists during the wave.

“Drinking and driving is always a bad idea, so the best course of action is to plan ahead for a sober ride,” said Minnesota State Patrol Captain Mark Holm. “Enforcement periods like this serve as a reminder to those who still don’t realize the risks of driving drunk.”

Impaired driving continues to be one of Minnesota’s most often committed and deadliest crimes. It accounts for more than 100 deaths annually. Nearly 26,000 motorists were arrested for DWI last year — which translates to 70 DWI arrests per day in Minnesota. One out of every seven licensed drivers in Minnesota has a DWI on record.

In 2013, there were 117 alcohol-related fatalities in Minnesota. These fatalities resulted from crashes where there was evidence that at least one driver, pedestrian or bicyclist was known to be drinking. Alcohol-related fatalities represented 30 percent of all traffic deaths in 2013.