February has been a deadly month on MN roads – and it's only half over

It's been a deadly month on Minnesota roads, and we're only halfway through February.

Preliminary statistics from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) show 13 people were killed in the first 10 days of the month.

And that number rose to at least 14 Wednesday morning. The Minnesota State Patrol is investigating a fatal crash involving a semi-truck and a passenger car on Highway 63, south of Stewartville in Mower County, ABC 6 reports.

The DPS called the number of road fatalities this month "disappointing" following the month of January, in which nine people lost their lives – making it one of the safest months on Minnesota roads in more than 30 years.

Last year was also one of the safest years on state roads since the World War II-era.

The DPS says seven of the 13 fatal accidents that occurred in the first 10 days of February took place in just a four-day span (Feb. 5-8), and four of the six motorists weren't wearing their seat belts – the seventh fatality was a pedestrian.