Weekend crashes, including one that killed 7 year old, push MN road deaths above 100
Minnesota passed an unwanted milestone this weekend, as it registered its 100th death on state roads since the start of the year.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office said on Monday there have been 103 people killed on the roads in 2017, passing the 100 mark this weekend following a spate of fatal crashes.
One of those, in St. Louis County, claimed the life of 7-year-old Snowden Bothwell, of Hibbing, who was in a Hyundai that was hit by a suspected drunk driver – who also died – around midnight on Saturday.
Elsewhere this weekend, a 48-year-old man from Buffalo, Minnesota, died when he ran off the road and hit a tree in Yellow Medicine County, with DPS officials saying he was speeding, unbelted and under the influence of alcohol at the time.
Minnesota reached 100 road fatalities later this year compared to last year, when the 100th death was registered on Apr. 27.
The DPS has released some statistics about the 103 people killed so far this year:
– There have been fewer motorcyclist (6), pedestrian (12) and bicyclist (0) deaths so far this year compared with the same period in 2016.
– Alcohol has been a factor in 22.3 percent of fatalities this year, with distracted driving contributing to 4.9 percent and unbelted motorists 29.8 percent.
– But the biggest factor in fatal crashes so far this year has been speeding, which occurred in 33 percent of fatal crashes.
– 71 percent of the people killed this year were male.
