Patrol: Slow Down During 100 Deadliest Days
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The most deadly car crashes happen on Minnesota roads within the next 100 days -- from now until Labor Day.
That's why state troopers want you to put the brakes on summer speeding. Our cameras went for a ride with troopers and it didn't take long to catch someone with a lead foot.
"Apparently this driver here doesn't look in the review mirror very often," said Minnesota State Patrol Sgt. Steve Hanson, who was trying to get the attention of a speeding driver by putting on his lights and his siren.
The driver, who only wanted to be identified as Diane said, "We were having a discussion and I didn't know how fast I was going."
Troopers said as the temperatures get warmer, that's when people give themselves more distractions, such as having the windows down and music turned up. They don't pay as much attention to their speed.
In Minnesota, it isn't our harsh winter that takes a toll on drivers, but the summertime.
"You'll find on a nice sunny day, people are crashing and you scratch your head," Hanson said. "Most of the time they're too fast -- they're driving over the speed limit. And speed limits are set for a reason."
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, in the last three years, 526 people died in between May and August.
"With those higher speeds, we get more crashes," Hanson said.
So while getting a ticket is enough to ruin your day, at least it only costs cash.
Of the five speeders caught on camera, three got tickets and two got warnings.
State patrol said the majority of speeders who are killed are young adult men, but said everyone needs to slow down.
Speeding Facts
-Speeding violations vary by county, but typically cost at least $120 for traveling 10 mph above the limit.
-Motorists stopped at 20 mph above the speed limit face double the fine, and those ticketed for traveling more than 100 mph can lose their license for six months.
-In the last three years, July (148 deaths) and August (133 deaths) were the deadliest months.
