UNDATED (LEARFIELD) – A new national study ranks Minnesota with the strictest overall D-W-I laws in the country.  Attorney Resh Jefferies with Siegfried and Jensen in Salt Lake City Utah notes relatively stiff penalties for the first and subsequent offenses puts Minnesota at the top.

But he says one area for improvement:  D-W-I’s don’t become a felony until the fourth offense in Minnesota.

“That is actually a bit of a bad mark towards Minnesota, where Utah and some other states doe a felony after three,” said Jefferies. “So that might one area where it seemed like Minnesota was lacking.”

But Jefferies adds in most other areas, Minnesota is more strict than other states. To make the determination the study used a point system based on penalties, fines, license suspension, D-W-I fatalities and other factors.

“Jail time: 90 days on a first offense for a minimum jail time is one of the higher ones we’ve seen, and then 365 days for a second offense and 365 days for a third offense,” said Jefferies.