Traffic Deaths Continue to Rise in Minnesota

The number of people killed on Minnesota roadways is on the rise again.

State officials say there have been 204 deaths already this year. And, if the current pace continues, it the number could surpass the 395 fatalities in 2012.

State Patrol Lt. Matt Langer tells the Star Tribune there is no single factor in the rising number of fatalities. Speeding, drunken and inattentive driving and the lack of seatbelts are factors in most crashes.

Traffic deaths increased in Minnesota last year for the first time since 2007, despite ongoing education efforts. Since October, the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety has distributed more than $7 million in federal grants to law enforcement agencies and community groups for enforcement and education campaigns.