In this issue:
- DVS: Licensing now easier for new residents
- SFM: Do your part to prevent wildfires
- OTS: Click It or Ticket campaign keeps roads safe
- MMSC: Salesmen save customer’s life by insisting he borrow a helmet
- Commissioner's corner: Operation Safe Driver Week underway
- Featured social media
 A man works at the counter in a DVS licensing office.
If you're just moving to Minnesota, let our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) division be the first to say, “Welcome!"
When you move to a new state, one of the first things you need to do is get a driver's license with your new address. As of Aug. 1, the Minnesota Legislature has made it a little easier for those who already have a valid driver's license in another state.
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What changed: Minnesota has dropped the requirement that licensed out-of-state drivers take a written knowledge test.
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Makes sense: “It just makes sense," DVS Director Pong Xiong said. “Eligible drivers are already licensed in another state; they've proven they can drive safely."
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Know the law: You're still expected to know Minnesota's driving laws. Our manual is available in multiple languages on our website.
Learn more here.
 Campfires and bonfires can be a fun way to spend time outside, but only if you’re careful.
Starting a bonfire, camping, grilling — all are great ways for Minnesotans to spend their summer vacations. However, with much of the state seeing below normal precipitation this year, wildfires are a real risk. Our Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) and the State Fire Marshal (SFM) divisions are keeping a watchful eye on conditions, but the first responders who keep you safe need your help.
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Key role: More than 90 percent of wildfires are caused by humans. We play a key role in preventing fires in the first place.
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Stay up-to-date on fire conditions: If you're having a recreational fire — say, a backyard fire for roasting marshmallows or a campfire for cooking hotdogs — check the current fire conditions before you light the fire.
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Report wildfires immediately: Call 911 from a safe location. Do not attempt to stop the fire yourself, allow professional firefighters to respond. Wildfires are unpredictable and dangerous.
Learn more here.
 Drive smart by buckling up.
It didn't take long for a Rogers police officer to find someone driving dangerously during the recent Click It or Ticket campaign coordinated by our Office of Traffic Safety (OTS). The officer was on duty for all of three minutes when they pulled over a driver for not wearing a seat belt. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence.
Thankfully, the officer was there to stop drivers like this and prevent a devastating crash.
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Campaign results: Officers, deputies and troopers issued 2,382 seat belt citations from May 22 to June 4. OTS brought together 286 law enforcement agencies in Minnesota for the campaign, which included enforcement, education and awareness efforts to get Minnesota drivers to drive smart.
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Buckle up your kids: Officers, deputies and troopers also issued 130 citations for improper child restraint during the most recent campaign. Minnesota law requires children to be in a child restraint until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall, or at least age 8, whichever comes first.
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Drive smart all year: While this spring's campaign has come to an end, OTS is asking you to take those good driving habits into the rest of the year. Learn more at DriveSmartMN.org.
Learn more here.
 Our Motorcycle Safety Center suggests helmets like this one. It can save your life.
Wearing a helmet might seem like a small thing, but when you're riding a motorcycle, it can mean the difference between life or death.
Nobody knows that better than a pair of Eden Prairie motorcycle salesman, who are being praised for saving a customer's life by insisting minutes before he crashed that he wear a helmet.
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Dangerous at any speed: You don't have to be going over 50 mph to hit your head and do serious damage; slow speeds can be just as fatal.
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Helmets save lives: “Wearing a helmet doesn't make you invincible, and it won't make up for unsafe riding practices," Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) Coordinator Jay Bock said. “But it increases your survivability."
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Particularly deadly year: As of Friday, 29 motorcyclists have died so far this year. Of the 29, at least 16 were not wearing a helmet.
Learn more here.
 This week is Operation Safe Driver Week. Members of the State Patrol will be on the roads watching for and citing commercial and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in unsafe driving behaviors.
Keep yourself and others safe on the road – slow down, wear your seat belt, put distractions away and never drive impaired. Learn more here.
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