Even with roads lacking regular coatings of ice and snow this unusually warm and snowless winter, traffic fatalities paradoxically increased across Minnesota roadways.
As of March 25, 68 people had lost their lives on Minnesota roads, compared to just 43 at this time last year.
The Department of Public Safety attributed the spike to drivers lulled into a sense of complacency by the lack of inclement weather. With the roads clear and the skies sunny, increases in speed and distracted driving can lead to more severe crashes.
However, the trend toward increasing traffic fatalities is bigger than just one abnormal winter. From 2019 to 2022, traffic fatalities increased by 25% on Minnesota roads, though about half of that spike receded in 2023.
According to a mandatory report submitted by the Advisory Council on Traffic Safety to the Minnesota Legislature in January, Minnesota is still one of the safest states for motorists, with the third lowest fatality rate per miles driven.
As the report notes, the Minnesota Legislature has poured millions into the Department of Public Safety with the goal of getting traffic fatalities down.
Driver errors cause 94% of crashes, with a majority of Minnesota crashes over the last 15 years linked to at least one of the “big four” dangerous driving behaviors: speeding, distracted driving, impaired driving and failure to wear a seat belt.
As a driver’s speed increases, the changes for a severe injury or fatal crash dramatically increase. Since 2020, about one-third of fatal crashes on Minnesota roadways have been related to excessive speed, with the average speed of a fatal crash over 60 mph.
While Rice County has not seen any traffic fatalities this year, Rice County Sheriff Jesse Thomas said the warm winter came with a significant increase in speeding. Thomas encourages his deputies to make plenty of traffic stops to keep the roads safe, and he touted his office’s record of making more than 5,000 stops last year.
Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas said the cleaner roads increased the severity of crashes while also reducing the overall number of crashes. Across the state, the total number of crashes in January and February dropped by about 20% from 2023 to 2024.
Within city limits, where there are fewer open stretches of road to pick up speed, the warmer weather has generally been a net positive for traffic safety. Owatonna Police Chief Jeff Mundale said there’s been few notable spikes in weather-related traffic safety issues.
Dulas said last weekend’s storm is a reminder that the state isn’t out of the woods yet when it comes to winter weather.
“People are going to have to plan ahead, leave early, watch weather forecasts and drive slower,” he said. “It’s still winter. Make sure your windshields are cleared of snow and frost, dress for the weather and have proper winter gear in your vehicle.”
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