State Patrol kicks off Rural Speed Reduction Project and other enforcement efforts
 Ask any law enforcement officer, including our Minnesota State Patrol troopers, and they'll share that one of the worst parts of their job is telling someone that their loved one is never coming home.
Troopers, deputies and officers are having to deliver that devastating news at an alarming rate with fatal crashes up almost 40 percent over this time last year. That's one of the reasons the Minnesota State Patrol has started a new initiative to help stop dangerous speeding on rural high-risk roadways.
Learn about the
Rural Speed Reduction Project and other enforcement efforts in the DPS blog.
Move over, it could save a life
It was the first and last time Caleb Duchene winched a vehicle out of the ditch by himself. As the tow truck operator finished up his transaction with the driver he pulled out, a passing vehicle lost control and struck the van he was standing next to. Caleb was thrown to the ground. Miraculously, he only had minor injuries, but the fear of being hit has stayed with him. Trooper Andrew Gibbs was on scene and rushed to help him.
Crashes like this show why it's so important to move over or slow down when there are vehicles or people on the side of the road. It's also the law. The Move Over Law was expanded this year to include more than just crash responder vehicles. As of July 1, 2023, it also includes stalled or disabled vehicles with flashing lights, or if at least one person is visibly present outside the vehicle.
When traveling on a road with two or more lanes, drivers must keep over one full lane away. If it's not possible to move over, you must slow down.
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