Minnesota Drunk Driving Laws

Minnesota has extended its use of the ignition interlock device (IID) as a deterrent to repeat driving while intoxicated (DWI) offenses. A pilot program that was to have ended last summer will instead run through the middle of next year.

The IID is a device that is wired into a car's ignition system and includes a small meter that estimates the driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) as measured by breathing into a tube attached to the meter. If more than a preprogrammed approximate BAC level is registered, the car won't start.

For Most, State Law Defines DWI at 0.08 BAC

Minnesota law follows the national norm; a BAC of 0.08 percent or more qualifies as DWI for most drivers. For commercial drivers, the level is 0.04 percent.

The IID can be required as part of punishment for a first DWI conviction, although it is not mandatory. If it is indicated, the offender may be required to pay installation and rental fees to an authorized service center, as well as periodic service fees to have the device checked and its collected data submitted to the courts.

A first conviction also includes a $1,000 fine, up to 90 days in jail, and suspension of driving privileges. The basic suspension can be for up to 90 days; it can be doubled for a BAC of 0.20 percent or more, or for having a minor under the age of 16 in the car. Suspension of up to a year can result from refusal to take a BAC test.

License Reinstatement Includes More Fees

Once the suspension has been lifted, the offender must pay a $250 license reinstatement fee, a $340 license reinstatement surcharge, and $24 to apply for a new license.

Subsequent convictions carry increasingly harsher punishments.

If you have been arrested for DWI in Minnesota, contact an experienced attorney. When you go to court, you have the right to a fair hearing. Your attorney will know what kind of defense strategy is best for your case. If you are convicted, your attorney will fight to see that you receive only just punishment.