It’s a Racetrack Out There

I was not surprised to hear that speeding violations are up in Minnesota. I find myself on the interstate regularly and I feel like I'm getting lapped at times. Some vehicles are flying by. The State Patrol reports a 149% increase in drivers ticketed for going 100 miles per hour or more, according to a report in the Star Tribune.

Minnesota State Patrol officers tagged 232 drivers at triple-figure speeds in a six-week period in April and May. A month-long enforcement campaign across the state begins Monday, June 22.

Chief of the State Patrol, Col. Matt Langer says, "Young drivers often think they are invincible until it's too late. Whether you're a driver 30-years-old of younger or a more experienced driver, you are not only putting yourself at risk when traveling at these speeds, but you are also putting other innocent motorists in harm's way."

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) offers a stat that over three-quarters of those pulled over at that speed were 30 years old or younger. The worst violators were two drivers clocked at 122 mph, one on I-90 near Luverne and the other on Highway 169 in Edina.

The uptick in speeding coincides with the governor's stay-at-home order when overall travel rates plummeted, leaving much more open roadway. Overall traffic rates have come up since then, but the Minnesota Department of Transportation reports levels are still 30-percent lower than normal in the Twin Cities and about 16-percent down statewide.

The crackdown on speeding runs from June 22 through July 19 and is part of a new "Drive Smart" campaign promoted by the DPS. An enforcement period on the state's hands-free law is scheduled for August 1-8. A focus on drunk driving will occur August 14 through September 7. A seat belt awareness push is set for September 18 - 30.