DPS News: 100 Most Traveled Days Begin with Tragic Memorial Day Weekend

100 Most Traveled Days Begin with Tragic Memorial Day Weekend

Deadly Holiday Weekend

• Over Memorial Day weekend, eight people lost their lives on Minnesota roads. (Friday 6 p.m. – Tuesday 6 a.m.)
• The eight fatalities included:
• Two alcohol-related crashes.
• Four speed-related crashes.
• Two unbelted motorists.
• Law enforcement made 354 DWI arrests during Memorial Day weekend compared with 292 in 2020. 

Holiday Fatalities Included

• A pedestrian in Minneapolis who was killed by a hit-and-run driver reportedly going over the speed limit.
• A young female driver who was reportedly traveling 60 mph on a Minneapolis city street. She entered the opposite lanes while passing, lost control of the vehicle and crashed, killing the passenger. Alcohol is suspected.
• A young male driver reportedly going 70 mph in a 55 mph speed zone in Carver County ran off the road and was killed when his car struck utility poles.
• A young male driver stopped his car on a Bloomington highway and got out of the vehicle. A vehicle swerved to avoid the car and struck the pedestrian, killing him.
• In Pine County, a male driver reportedly going 95 mph in a 70 mph zone drove onto the left shoulder of the interstate while passing vehicles. He lost control and rolled into the ditch.  The unbelted driver was ejected from the vehicle and later died. Alcohol is suspected.   
• In Polk County, a male driver and passenger were riding an ATV along a township road when they steered into the ditch to avoid cattle. The ATV overturned, killing the driver and severely injuring the passenger.
• In Scott County, a male driver ran off the county road, hitting a cable barrier and going into a ditch. The unbelted driver died at the scene.
• In Beltrami County, a male driver ran off the highway and rolled into the ditch where he died.

 Quote

“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the people who did not come home this weekend,” said State Patrol Lt. Gordon Shank. “We are extremely frustrated by the number of drivers who are treating the roadway like the raceway and performing other dangerous behaviors behind the wheel. Lives are being cut short, ending dreams before they began. If we don’t act now, we’ll see traffic fatalities totaling numbers we haven’t seen in several years. Drive smart and help get your friends and family home safely.”

A Tragic Ending to May

• From May 23-31, 16 people lost their lives on Minnesota roads.

• Preliminary numbers by the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety show 159 fatalities on Minnesota roads in 2021 compared with 111 this time last year.
• The 159 deaths is a 43 percent increase over last year.
• Of the 159 deaths:
• 67 are speed-related; that’s a 48 percent increase over last year (45).
• 42 unbelted motorists killed in traffic crashes compared with 30 this time last year, a 40 percent increase.
• 4 distracted driving-related fatalities compared with 6 this time last year.
• 35 alcohol-related fatalities compared with 45 this time last year.

100 Most Traveled Days on Minnesota Roads

• Memorial Day through Labor Day marks the 100 most traveled days on Minnesota roads.
• As more people return to summer travel, the Department of Public Safety would like to remind all Minnesotans to drive smart.

 2020: Deadliest Summer in a Decade

• If driving behaviors don’t significantly improve, Minnesotans may face a tragic repeat of last summer.
• June through August 2020 proved to be the deadliest three-month stretch in a decade.
• Preliminary numbers show 158 of the 394 traffic fatalities in 2020 came during the 109-day period between Memorial Day and Labor Day; that’s 40 percent of all traffic deaths last year.
• The 158 deaths were the most for the period since at least 2015.

 Your Final Destination is Never Guaranteed

• Driver behaviors continue to play a significant role in motor vehicle crashes with speed, distraction, lack of seat belt use and drunk driving the top contributing factors in Minnesota road fatalities.

Summer Months are Dangerous Driving Months

• Even with fewer vehicles on the road during much of 2020, the summer months between June and August proved to be the deadliest three-month stretch in a decade.

Extra Speed Patrols

• Law enforcement agencies across the state are focusing on slowing down speeding motorists with extra patrols throughout the summer.
• The extra patrols come on the heels of a deadly 2020 where speed-related deaths (122) were the most since 2008 (125).
• The Minnesota State Patrol has cited 29,192 motorists for speeding in 2021 with 382 tickets written for speeds of 100 mph or more
• Speed contributes to about one-in-five fatal or serious injury crashes in Minnesota.
• Speed contributes to an average of 89 deaths and 350 serious injuries a year (2015 – 2019).

 Extra Seat Belt Patrols

• Law enforcement is currently conducting extra seat belt patrols through June 6.

• The 112 unbelted motorists who died in 2020 compare with 73 in 2019. It’s also the highest since 2012 (116).
• Adults must take the time to correctly use child restraints, teach children the value of buckling up and model seat belt use. From 2016-2020:
• 20 children (ages 0-7) were killed in motor vehicles.
• Eight of the victims were properly secured, eight were not properly restrained, and restraint use was unknown in four fatalities.
• Of the 87 children (ages 0-7) seriously injured in motor vehicles, 49 percent were known to be properly secured.

• About one in three traffic fatalities each year are unbelted motorists.
• An average of 83 fatalities and 209 serious injuries are attributed to unbelted motorists (2015 – 2019).

Extra Impaired Patrols

• Alcohol-related crashes not only take lives, they change them forever. Alcohol-related crashes contribute to an average of 304 life-changing injuries each year. Extra impaired patrols run Aug. 20-Sept. 6.
• Drunk driving contributes to about one in four fatal or serious injury crashes in Minnesota.
• Drunk driving contributes to an average of 122 deaths and 357 serious injuries a year (2015 – 2019).

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 —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