In this issue
- MSC: Motorcycle season has begun
- OPS: Call 811 before you dig to avoid calling 911 later
- HSEM: Raymond derailment proves value of CERT program
- OTS: ‘Forever incomplete’ family pleads with Minnesotans to stop dangerous driving habits
- Commissioner's corner
- Featured social media
 Motorcyclists prepare to hit the road in early spring.
As the snow and ice melt and the sun comes out, motorcyclists across Minnesota are back out on our roads.
Our Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) wants everyone to get out and enjoy the motorcycle riding season safely. Spring can be a dangerous time for motorcyclists. Other drivers aren't used to seeing riders back on the road, and riders are rusty from not riding all winter. Road conditions can be dangerous with uneven pavement, cracked seams and the inevitable potholes.
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Drivers: Remember to look twice for motorcycles and give riders extra room.
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Riders: Make sure you wear full protective gear and ride at safe speeds.
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Classes available: Our Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) offers Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert courses.The Basic Rider Course is filling up fast, so don't wait to sign up. Courses run April through September.
Learn more here.
 Make sure you call 811 before you dig.
With the sun finally poking its head out behind the clouds, people across Minnesota are headed out to enjoy the warmth — and maybe even get some gardening or yard projects done. Whether you are doing something small like planting flowers or large like building a deck, our Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) asks you to remember the Safe Digging Month message: Call 811 before you dig.
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Risks: Hitting a line could cause an outage, property damage or the worst-case scenario — an explosion. Even hitting a cable or internet line could be risky. Imagine not being able to work remotely, run a home business or attend online classes.
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Online option: You can also file an online ticket using Gopher State One Call (GSOC).
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It’s the law: To dig safely — and legally in Minnesota — you need to call 811 or file an online ticket at least two business days before you dig.
Learn more here.
 A member of the Willmar Area Community Emergency Response Team speaks with two people who were evacuated due to the Raymond train derailment.
When a train derailment March 30 led to a fire in downtown Raymond, first responders sprang into action.
Despite it being the middle of the night, they weren't alone. Members of the Willmar Area Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) joined them as most of the small city — about 800 people — was evacuated to nearby Prinsburg.
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Volunteers: CERTs are made up of people who live in the communities they serve and are trained by local public safety agencies.
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What they do: CERT volunteers work together to make sure everyone's needs are met in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. In Raymond, officials called in CERT members at about 1:50 a.m. to help law enforcement officers and firefighters knock on doors and let Raymond residents know about the fire and evacuation.
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Public private parnership: The teams are coordinated with help from our Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) division, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local partners — in this case, the Willmar Police Department and Kandiyohi County Emergency Management.
Get the details here.
 Amy and Greg LaVallee share the story of their son, Phillip, who was killed by a distracted driver.
Phillip LaVallee's life was cut short Aug. 8, 2013. A distracted driver hit and killed the 19-year-old while he was running along the shoulder of County Road 19 in Wright County. His family is still devastated nearly 10 years later. “Our family is heartbroken and forever incomplete," said Phillip's mother, Amy LaVallee.
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Extra enforcement: Our Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is coordinating extra distracted driving law enforcement throughout the month of April.
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Challenge: OTS Director Mike Hanson challenged every Minnesotan who is still using a cell phone behind the wheel to give it up for the month of April and create new, safer habits behind the wheel.
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Distractions can be deadly: In 2022, preliminary figures show distracted driving contributed to 126 serious injuries and 22 deaths.
Learn more here.
 During calendar year 2022, Minnesota State Patrol troopers traveled 17,049,423 miles while on patrol. This comes out to roughly enough miles to circle the earth 685 times. March of 2022 was our highest travel month of the year with 1,540,828 miles traveled; January was our lowest with 1,276,838. Overall, each trooper averaged 1,897.99 miles per month during 2022.
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