2 Minnesota men killed in ATV crashes in 3 days
Two people have died in ATV crashes in Minnesota over the past few days.
The first one happened Saturday evening, just south of the Twin Cities in Rice County.
Around 5 p.m. family members found the man under the ATV in Webster Township, according to a news release. Officials said he was riding alone and not wearing a helmet.
The victim has been identified as 48-year-old Dennis Skluzacek of Lonsdale.
The second crash happened Monday evening southwest of the Twin Cities in Carver County.
Similarly, family members found 47-year-old Kevin Jorgenson, of Camden Township, and called an ambulance.
Unfortunately, by the time emergency responders arrived he'd passed away. He was also not wearing a helmet, KSTP and the Star Tribune report.
ATV crashes in Minnesota
Last year, the Department of Natural Resources reported 16 fatal ATV crashes.
All but one of those deaths involved men or boys, and alcohol was known to be a factor in four of them.
That’s about in line with where it’s been over the past decade. From 2006-2015, an average of 16.8 people died in ATV crashes in Minnesota each year. The highest figure was 22 (coming in 2006 and 2010), while the lowest is 13 (in both 2013 and 2014).
According to Brainline.org, wearing a helmet reduces the risk of fatal head injuries by 42 percent. And they reduce the risk of non-fatal head injuries by 64 percent.
