If everyone got these four tricky traffic issues under control, the roads would be much safer.

Law enforcement agencies across the state have put an extra push on cracking down on distracted driving. Texting seems to be the top concern, but people do far too much multitasking while behind the wheel, as the Minnesota State Patrol Twitter page has documented over the past week. View some other bad choices on the Department of Public Safety Facebook page.

It's a bit disturbing to glance over at the next driver to find him looking down at his phone. Maybe I am driving distracted if I watch someone looking at a phone.

Road construction season has hit harder than a winter-opening blizzard. Back-ups on I-35 south of Owatonna probably will be a persistent problem over the summer. Bridge work on the southbound lanes will take place this year while the northbound lanes will be closed next summer. The Minnesota Department of Transportation encourages drivers to use the zipper merge when approaching lane restrictions.

The addition of a yellow, blinking arrow for left-turn drivers at some intersections is a source of uncertainty for some. The intersection at County Road 45 and 26th Street Northwest in Owatonna has that signal. Drivers are supposed to yield to oncoming traffic while attempting to turn left. The Star Tribune reports some intersections in the Twin Cities are seeing a spike in accidents at those locations.

Roundabouts are here to stay. There seem to be as many rules at a roundabout as there are roundabouts. The department of transportation offers a tutorial on approaching one.

  • Onzeg Townsquare media
    Onzeg Townsquare media
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    1

    Two Hands on the Wheel

    It is such a temptation to check our phones while driving, but we must learn to stop doing it. Maybe stiff fines will help.

  • XtremerX
    XtremerX
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    2

    Do The Zipper

    There may, or may not, be a dance called The Zipper. But in this case it is handling road construction where two lanes narrow into one.

  • Roy Koenig/Townsquare Media
    Roy Koenig/Townsquare Media
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    Blinking Left Signal Means Yield

    I had a scary moment where a driver barreling through a blinking yellow arrow nearly took me out.

  • Roy Koenig/Townsquare Media
    Roy Koenig/Townsquare Media
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    4

    Roundabouts are Awesome

    I go out of my way to drive through roundabouts. But I have not done a Chevy Chase in one yet.

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