In 2015, there were 411 people killed on the highways in Minnesota. While the goal is to see a reduction in crashes each year, that was the same number of people killed as in the year 2010. Interestingly, the state actually has fewer crashes, yet the number of people suffering injuries or dying in them is rising.
The main factor leading to single-vehicle crashes in Minnesota is driving at an unsafe or illegal speed. In multiple vehicle crashes, it’s driver inattention, or distractions, that result in collisions. Driver inattention is a factor in around 22.7 percent of all crashes involving multiple vehicles in the state.
What is important to know is that June is the most dangerous month of the year in the state. In 2015, 46 people were killed in June, and another 2,708 were injured. Seventy percent of the crashes took place in rural areas.
It’s actually motorcycle and pedestrian crashes that have increased each year, which does play a role in the rising number of injuries and deaths despite the lower number of crashes overall. Distracted driving and failing to yield were the main causes of pedestrian accidents, while inexperience was the main cause of motorcycle collisions.
When are you most likely to get into an accident? It may surprise you. Statistics show that most crashes actually happen during the daylight hours on clear days, not during storms or when the weather is poor. That could be because people are more cautious when the conditions are not favorable.
If someone strikes you because of negligent driving habits like driving distracted or failing to yield, your attorney can help you pursue a claim. You may need to seek medical help or have your vehicle repaired, and the other party should be responsible for the compensation you need.
Source: Minnesotans for Safe Driving, “Minnesota Crash Facts for 2015,” accessed June 13, 2017