For the second time this week, a young Minnesotan is dead after a highway head on collision. A 21 year old Elk River man was killed when he struck another car as they each traveled in opposite directions on US Highway 10 in Big Lake. In the other vehicle was a young mother with a seven year old. Investigation continues as to the cause.
As with the last head on collision, there looks to be issues of speed and passing that will need to be investigated. Roadtrip America had an interesting angle on the issue of defensive driving with the following:
Sloppy driving breeds mishaps! Most everyone knows the basics of the traffic laws; signaling, proper lane position for turns, turning into the proper lanes, complying with traffic signs (like "No U-Turns," "No right turn on red," etc.), driving to the right except when passing, passing across double yellow stripes, really STOPPING for stop signs, and many others. Drivers ignore them for the sake of expediency every day. We are so impatient to get about the details of our lives that we don’t take the time to do it "right." One estimate I’ve seen is that average drivers commit 2.5 traffic violations every mile they drive! But, those pesky, nit-picky driving rules ARE important!
As with any death in a Minnesota motor vehicle collision, there are a number of issues that will need to be reviewed. My partner, Joe Crumley, addressed this topic in a recent article for the Minnesota Lawyers Trial magazine. I was interviewed last year on the same topic. In this incident sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.
