There have been eleven reported deaths on Minnesota roads this holiday weekend. This is more than past Memorial Day weekends and well above the usual weekend average of two to three. Hopefully, increased police presence and discussion about this increase will save some lives over the next couple of days.
The 11 people died in seven separate crashes between 6 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday. Alcohol played a role in several of them. The deadliest collision was a minivan that was broadsided in Olmsted County that killed four people. Of the eleven, a second death was reported in Olmsted, others took place in Cass, Dakota, Fillmore, and Aitkin Counties.
These numbers are particularly unfortunate considering that overall the number of highway deaths has been down again for 2009. But, considering that speed, alcohol, lack of seat belts and in one of the cases a motorcycle was involved, most of the deaths involve factors where the numbers continue to rise.
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 all of these cases sorrow for the families of those involved goes out.
