Extra Seat Belt Enforcement Starting Next Week As Minnesota Reaches 100 Road Deaths In 2019

It’s only the middle of May, and over 100 people have already lost their lives on Minnesota roads this year. Preliminary data from the Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) shows 102 people have died on Minnesota roads since Jan. 1.

The 102 Fatalities Include:

• 81 motor vehicle occupants.
• Three motorcyclists, compared with five reported this time last year.
• 17 pedestrians, compared with 11 reported this time last year.
• One bicyclist, compared with two reported this time last year.
• 15 deaths involving crashes with heavy vehicle trucks.
• 44 single vehicle crashes.Min
• 52 multi-vehicle crashes.

The Need to Make Better Choices

Four main factors continue to contribute to the loss of life:

• 18 alcohol-related deaths (18 percent).
• 10 distracted-related deaths (10 percent).
• 20 speed-related deaths (20 percent).
• 19 unbelted motorist deaths (19 percent).
• Three – other factors.

Fatalities are happening on Minnesota roads at virtually the same pace as last year. In 2018 a total of 381 deaths occurred on Minnesota roads, and 92 people lost their lives in part to not wearing their seat belt.

Starting May 20th and ending on June 2nd there will be extra law enforcement on the roads looking for people not following seat belt laws.