Minnesota is heading into the final hours of the 100 deadliest days of summer with traffic deaths moving in the wrong direction…
“I really wish I could tell you that we were because last year at this time we were seeing trends going downward in the area of fatal crashes. But unfortunately, as of today, I believe we’re 18 fatalities ahead of where we were this time last year.”
Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety Director Mike Hanson says the numbers so far this year are troubling…
“As of January 1st, to July 13th, we’ve already had 1,373 impaired driving crashes in the state of Minnesota and almost 14,000 DWI arrests. And that’s just through July 13th. And at least 40 of those crashes have been fatal as a direct result of an impaired driver.”
Hanson says impairment isn’t limited to alcohol and can include cannabis and prescription drugs. His message for the Labor Day holiday weekend is simple: make a plan before going out, and don’t get behind the wheel impaired.
