Deadliest weekend on Minnesota roads highlights warm weather danger

May 04, 2013

From Friday, April 5 to the early morning hours of Monday, April 8, Minnesota had its deadliest weekend for travel so far this year. There were six separate fatal incidents on Minnesota roadways over the course of the weekend.

In one incident, a minivan rolled on I-94 in Minneapolis, costing three people their lives and injuring five others. Another accident on I-94 turned deadly over the weekend when a motorcyclist exited the freeway and shortly thereafter collided with an SUV in Brooklyn Park. Of the other fatal accidents, two were two-vehicle crashes, one involved a single vehicle careening off the road and the remaining death was a pedestrian fatality that occurred in Shoreview when a woman crossing an intersection was struck by a vehicle.

More vehicles on the road, less cautious drivers contribute to spike in accidents

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, there are approximately 400 deaths on the state's roadways every year. As of the deadly weekend in early April, 71 people had lost their lives in Minnesota motor vehicle accidents -- a slight improvement over the same point in 2012, at which point there had been 75 traffic deaths.

In Minnesota -- particularly in a year like 2013 that saw multiple springtime snowstorms -- the danger of winter driving conditions gets a lot of the attention. But, according to the State Patrol, many Minnesotans do not realize that summery weather is in fact associated with far more roadway deaths than the frigid conditions of winter.

As the weather improves, Minnesotans take to the roadways in higher volumes, and more traffic means more accidents. Motorcyclists also dust off their machines, and given the lower amount of protection motorcycles offer their operators compared to automobiles, this contributes to the number of serious and fatal injuries.

It is not just volume that causes an increase in fair-weather fatalities, however; driver behavior also changes as the temperature climbs. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, motorists travel at a higher average rate of speed in warmer months; drivers are lulled into a false sense of security when the threat of weather-related danger is removed.

This inattentiveness can be dangerous, even deadly. Speed can, of course, cause accidents and increase the severity of accidents. Yet, even beyond turning a blind eye to the speedometer, there are many other ways drivers who lose their wintertime focus on caution can wind up causing an accident.

Electronic distractions, including cellphones and other mobile devices, are responsible for a stunning number of accidents every year (according to the National Safety Council, across the U.S. there is a crash that involves a driver texting or otherwise using a mobile phone about once every 30 seconds). Reaching for an object somewhere in the passenger compartment, supervising children or pets, and daydreaming or "highway hypnosis" are all other distractions that drivers are more prone to fall victim to when they let their guard down.

If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car crash, you may be entitled to compensation

After a long Minnesota winter, it is understandable to be excited about the arrival of spring. But, that is no excuse for drivers to lose focus on the road and the duty of safety they owe to pedestrians and other motorists.

From the recent deadly weekend in April, it is clear that inattentive driving can take a toll at any time of the year. If another driver caused an accident and you were injured, or if a family member was killed, you have a right to financial compensation. An experienced car accident attorney can help you get the most for your claim. Contact a Minnesota personal injury attorney today to learn more.

Article provided by Conlin Law Firm LLC
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