Authorities warn of ice, DWI enforcement; urge drivers to be careful

Travel this weekend will be busy as people go to visit friends and family to celebrate the holidays, and law enforcement is urging people to be careful.

“We’re anticipating bad weather that will continue throughout the weekend,” said Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Troy Christianson. “We could be looking at a freeze and refreeze situation, so travelers need to pay particular attention and drive safe speeds, especially around curves and bridges.”

According to National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Shea, southeastern Minnesota can expect snow by late morning and early afternoon on Thursday. Austin and Albert Lea are expected to get one to two inches of snow, followed by temperatures dropping into the teens over the weekend and the single digits early next week. Shea also said to expect subzero overnight temperatures beginning next week.

Christianson said there is an average of 186 crashes in Minnesota on a regular day, but factors such as weather and traffic affect that number. Law enforcement expects travel to be heavier on Thursday and Friday as well as Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.

Christianson also said that more accidents occur in lighter snow than heavier snow because heavier snow forces drivers to slow down.

But weather and traffic are not the only things that affect travel safety this weekend. Law enforcement will be on the watch for impaired driving.

“We are in the period of a Toward Zero Deaths DWI wave,” said Austin Police Capt. David McKichan. “We hope that no one will drink and drive, but we know that people will be having family gatherings and office gatherings.”

McKichan said that law enforcement has increased its patrols since Thanksgiving and will continue to have a stronger weekend presence through New Years.

“We want people to not drive impaired and arrange for sober drivers if they’re going to be impaired,” he said.

Christianson said that Minnesota law enforcement made 137 DWI arrests on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving this year. He said that is one of the busiest DWI enforcement days every year.

Gas prices are higher compared to the 2017 holiday season, but AAA doesn’t expect that to be a problem for travelers.

“More than 97 million Americans will begin to hit the road this week for the holidays – the most ever on record,” said AAA spokeswoman Jeanette Casselano. “At 20 cents more per gallon than the same time last year, pump prices don’t seem to be a deterrent for today’s travelers. The good news is that in most states, gas prices are 12 cents less than they were a month ago. So today, motorists can find gas for $2.50 or less at 71 percent of gas stations in the country.”

The average retail price per gallon for unleaded regular gasoline in Minnesota as of Wednesday was $2.378, according to AAA. Last year, it was $2.151.

Mower County’s average on Wednesday was just a hair below the state average at $2.370.

Mower County travelers heading north may see lower prices in Steele, Dodge and Olmsted counties, which were between $2.299 to $2.216 on Wednesday. Prices rise going farther north. The Twin Cities metropolitan area saw $2.40 to $2.45 averages.

For travelers headed out of state, AAA reports that the national average price for regular unleaded regular gasoline was $2.43 as of Dec. 18. The average gas price Wednesday was $2.375 in Nebraska, $2.374 in Iowa, $2.364 in Wisconsin, $2.457 in South Dakota $2.494 in Illinois.

Editor Christopher Baldus contributed to this report.