Roads in Minnesota's 13 counties with the highest combined totals of drunk driving traffic deaths and alcohol-related serious injuries will be the focus for increased DWI enforcement Wednesday.
                
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety reports extra DWI patrols will continue in the 13 counties, including Olmsted County,  through September 2013, as part of a 12-month, federally funded enforcement program.

The 13 counties accounted for nearly half of the state's drunk driving deaths (160) and more than half of the state's alcohol-related serious injuries (436) during 2009 through 2011.

Hennepin County is ranked 1st and Olmsted County is 6th. The 13 counties are determined by their total number of drunk driving deaths and alcohol-related serious injuries during a three-year period.

Olmsted County had 12 drunk driving traffic deaths, 25 alcohol related serious injuries and 2,814 DWI arrests in the three year period. The estimated cost of the alcohol related traffic incidents is just over $17,627,000.

Winona County ranks 40th out of 87 Minnesota counties with a total of 9 alcohol related deaths and serious injuries.  

Thanksgiving is historically among the busiest and deadliest holiday travel periods of the year. Officials remind motorists to buckle up, drive at safe speeds and pay attention.