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2020 Proved to be a Challenging Year on Minnesota Roads,
First Fatality of 2021 Reported Today
First Fatality of 2021
- The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating the first fatal crash of 2021 that took place this morning at Highway 7 and Baycliffe Road in Victoria. More information will be posted at https://app.dps.mn.gov/MSPMedia2/
Drive Smart and Take Driving Seriously in 2021
- Preliminary reports show there were 394 traffic deaths on Minnesota roads in 2020, compared with 364 in 2019.
Recent Fatalities Include:
- A 49-year-old male passenger died in St. Paul when the driver ran off the city street while speeding and hit a tree. Alcohol is suspected in the crash.
- A 33-year-old man was killed in Benton County. The man left his car after crashing into a row of trees. He walked across the divided highway and was hit by a vehicle. The pedestrian is suspected of being under the influence of alcohol.
- A 42-year-old man driving on a snow and ice covered Interstate in Blue Earth County died when his vehicle left the roadway and rolled multiple times. The driver was not wearing seatbelts.
Preventable Deaths
Preliminary numbers show that of the 394 deaths in 2020:
- At least 30 are known to be distraction-related, compared with 27 in 2019.
- 118 were speed-related, compared with 72 in 2019.
- At least 109 were alcohol-related, compared with 111 in 2019.
- 102 were not wearing their seat belts, compared with 73 in 2019.
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64 were motorcyclists, compared with 44 in 2019.
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10 were bicyclists, compared with 10 in 2019.
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45 were pedestrians, compared with 50 in 2019.
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284 were males (72 percent) and 110 were females (28 percent).
Frightening Speeds Lead to Increased Citations
- The Minnesota State Patrol saw an alarming increase in the number of drivers going 100 mph or more in 2020.
- Troopers wrote 501 more citations to drivers in 2020 traveling more than 100 mph than they did in 2019. That’s a 94 percent increase.
- The top speed was 153 mph for a citation written in October of 2020.
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2019 State Patrol 100 mph Citations
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|
Age
|
Jan.
|
Feb.
|
March
|
April
|
May
|
June
|
July
|
Aug.
|
Sept.
|
Oct.
|
Nov.
|
Dec
|
Total
|
|
13-19
|
9
|
3
|
7
|
12
|
14
|
13
|
16
|
16
|
5
|
8
|
8
|
11
|
122
|
|
20-29
|
21
|
4
|
18
|
24
|
30
|
21
|
28
|
16
|
19
|
14
|
25
|
15
|
235
|
|
30-39
|
4
|
|
5
|
13
|
8
|
13
|
10
|
15
|
12
|
4
|
8
|
6
|
98
|
|
40-49
|
1
|
|
3
|
7
|
5
|
3
|
3
|
8
|
9
|
5
|
3
|
4
|
51
|
|
50-59
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
2
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
17
|
|
60-69
|
|
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
|
1
|
|
7
|
|
70-79
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
|
80-89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
|
|
1
|
|
Total:
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35
|
7
|
34
|
58
|
58
|
54
|
60
|
59
|
49
|
34
|
48
|
37
|
533
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2020 State Patrol 100 mph Citations
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|
Age
|
Jan.
|
Feb.
|
March
|
April
|
May
|
June
|
July
|
Aug.
|
Sept.
|
Oct.
|
Nov.
|
Dec
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Total
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13-19
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9
|
9
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31
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37
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27
|
15
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28
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31
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23
|
22
|
23
|
15
|
270
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20-29
|
16
|
19
|
40
|
70
|
61
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33
|
51
|
51
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34
|
40
|
36
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25
|
476
|
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30-39
|
5
|
6
|
9
|
32
|
14
|
17
|
17
|
14
|
14
|
19
|
17
|
10
|
174
|
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40-49
|
2
|
2
|
8
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4
|
4
|
4
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7
|
11
|
7
|
7
|
2
|
11
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69
|
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50-59
|
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
5
|
|
2
|
31
|
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60-69
|
1
|
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
2
|
10
|
|
70-79
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|
|
|
|
2
|
|
1
|
1
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
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Total:
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33
|
38
|
92
|
148
|
114
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73
|
108
|
111
|
81
|
93
|
78
|
65
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1,034
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***December 2020 goes through Dec. 19.
Monthly Fatalities
The summer months (June-August) accounted for 127 deaths on Minnesota roads or 35 percent of the year’s fatalities.
Preliminary monthly fatalities in 2020:
- January – 18
- February – 22
- March – 24
- April – 20
- May – 27
- June – 37
- July – 54
- August – 47
- September – 47
- October – 35
- November – 34
- December – 29
January-December Fatalities by Age
| 0-10 |
11-20 |
21-30 |
31-40 |
41-50 |
51-60 |
61-70 |
71-80 |
81-90 |
91-100 |
101-110 |
| 3 |
47 |
70 |
48 |
63 |
70 |
46 |
25 |
19 |
0 |
3 |
2021 Extra Enforcement Campaigns
Officers, deputies and troopers will continue extra enforcement in 2020, focusing on the four dangerous behaviors that contribute to most traffic deaths on our roads.
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Distracted: April 5-30
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Seat belt and child restraints: May 24-June 6
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Speed: July 1-31
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DWI: Aug. 20- Sept. 6
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Seat belt and child restraints: Sept. 17-30
- DWI: Multiple dates in November and December
- In addition, an extra speed enforcement campaign will be announced within the coming days.
92 People Starting New Year off Behind Bars
- Officers, deputies and troopers made 92 DWI arrests statewide from 6 p.m. New Year’s Eve through 6 a.m. New Year’s Day, compared with 138 during New Year’s Eve 2019.
- There were 254 DWI arrests from New Year’s Eve (6 p.m.) through today at 6 a.m.
Drunk Driving is Dangerous Driving
- With reduced traffic on Minnesota roads due to COVID-19, fewer drivers were arrested for DWI in 2020.
- In 2020, law enforcement statewide arrested 22,653 drivers for DWI, compared with 27,975 in 2019.
- The number of DWIs decreased 19 percent in 2020 from the previous year.
Prevent Drunk Driving
- Plan for a safe ride – designate a sober driver, use a safe, alternative transportation option, or stay at the location of the celebration.
- Speak up – offer to be a designated driver or be available to pick up a loved one anytime, anywhere.
- Buckle up – wearing your seat belt is the best defense against a drunk driver.
- Report drunk driving – call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.
Drive Smart and Save Lives
- If you are with a driver who is distracted, speak up, tell them to put the phone down and offer to be their designated texter.
- Refuse to drive until every passenger is buckled up.
- Slow down – speed makes even a small mistake worse. Trying to save a few minutes off your drive isn’t worth causing a crash.
- Plan ahead before you go out by designating a sober driver, and if you see a person who has had too much to drink, speak up and find them a safe ride home.
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