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CONTACTS:
Dave Boxum
651-201-7569
dave.boxum@state.mn.us
Scott Wasserman
651-201-7571
scott.wasserman@state.mn.us
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308 Traffic Fatalities across the State
- Preliminary figures from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety show 308 people have died on Minnesota roads since Jan. 1, compared with 277 last year at this time.
- The state reported 300 deaths on Oct. 12 in 2020; 300 deaths were reported on 29 in 2019.
Recent Deaths on Minnesota Roads Include:
- A 2-year-old girl died in Kandiyohi County when the 23-year-old female driver lost control and rolled the vehicle several times. The toddler was riding on the driver's lap when the crash occurred.
- A 24-year-old driver died in a head-on crash in Grand Rapids.
- A 57-year-old Crosby man died when his vehicle hit a tree in Trommald.
- A teenager driving a dirt bike in Anoka County was killed in a collision with a motor vehicle.
- Two pedestrians were killed in separate crashes in Itasca and Sherburne Counties, both struck by vehicles in the roadway.
Quotes
- Mike Hanson, Office of Traffic Safety director
- “We’re tired of seeing dangerous driving behaviors on the road and we bet you are too. That driver weaving in and out of traffic. That person Snapchatting behind the wheel. Those kids unbuckled in the car. They are all leading to an increased number of deaths on our roads. But together we can stop the needless deaths and endless pain families face when losing a loved one in a traffic crash. We ask that you commit to driving smart, not sometimes, but every time you get behind the wheel.”
- Matt Langer, Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol
- “Troopers experience the pain and anguish each time they knock on a door to tell someone their loved one won’t be coming home. The cause of these tragedies continues to be as a result of four problems on our roads: excessive speed, impaired driving, lack of seat belt use, and drivers falling back into old distracted driving habits. Our troopers are doing their best to enforce the laws and educate motorists about dangerous driving decisions, but we can’t do it alone. Less traffic on the roads should be creating fewer fatalities, but it has not. I encourage Minnesota drivers to refocus their priorities while behind the wheel to make the roads safer for all of us.”
The 308 Fatalities Include:
- 192 motor vehicle occupants compared with 191 reported this time last year.
- 54 motorcyclists compared with 40 reported this time last year.
- 35 pedestrians compared with 29 reported this time last year.
- Nine bicyclists compared with eight reported this time last year.
- 92 are speed-related compared with 60 this time last year.
- 88 are alcohol-related compared with 89 this time last year.
- 22 are distracted-related compared with 30 this time last year.
- 71 fatalities involved an unbelted motorist compared with 54 this time last year.
Fatality Breakdown
Out of the 308 fatalities on Minnesota roads, 72 percent are male.
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10 and under
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11-20
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21-30
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31-40
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41-50
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51-60
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61-70
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71+
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Unknown
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4
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40
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55
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36
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43
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57
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31
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40
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2
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Minnesota Traffic Fatalities
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2019
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2018
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2017
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2016
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2015
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2014
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2013
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2012
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364
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381
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358
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392
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411
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361
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384
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395
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Crashes by Month
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Month
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Fatalities
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Crashes
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Jan.
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18
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16
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Feb.
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22
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20
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Mar.
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28
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25
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Apr.
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20
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19
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May
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28
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26
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June
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38
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35
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July
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55
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51
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Aug.
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43
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42
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Sep.
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44
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42
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Oct.
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12
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9
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Total
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308
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285
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Extra Enforcement
- Extra Seat Belt and Child Restraint: Nov. 16-29.
- Unbelted motorist deaths are up 31 percent over this time last year.
- Extra DWI Enforcement on holidays and weekends runs Nov. 25 through Dec. 31.
- Alcohol-related traffic deaths are slightly down from this time last year.
Impaired Driving Arrests
- Law enforcement across Minnesota made 226 DWI arrests this past weekend.
- So far this year, law enforcement helped make Minnesota roads safer with 18,392 DWI arrests, compared with 21,932 at this time last year.
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