MINNESOTA, USA — Traffic fatalities in Minnesota have risen this year despite a decrease in driving deaths nationwide.
According to the Department of Public Safety, Minnesota roads have seen 322 deaths so far this year, an 11% increase from the 286 deaths on MN roads in 2023.
"Speed and DWI are two of the leading causes of fatalities on our roads," said a statement from the DPS.
Preliminary information from the agency suggests speed contributed to a staggering 94 deaths on Minnesota roads in 2024, an increase from 81 deaths over the same period last year.
Alcohol-related traffic deaths have stayed relatively level as the DPS believes it contributed to 80 deaths so far this year, compared to 82 deaths over the same time in 2023.
A total of 259 law enforcement agencies cited a combined 68,723 drivers for speed-related violations, according to the DPS.
“In a world where speeding has become all too common, it’s easy to forget that it steals lives,” said DPS Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson, in a statement.
Recent estimations from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that 18,720 people died in traffic crashes in the first half of 2024. That figure is a decrease of roughly 3.2% from the 19,330 traffic deaths projected to have occurred in the first half of 2023.
