ST. PAUL — Riders and motorists should exercise extreme caution this weekend along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers as motorcyclists ride in the Fall Flood Run on Saturday. The annual ride historically attracts thousands of riders, taking them on a route between the Twin Cities and Winona. Law enforcement agencies in southeast Minnesota, along with the Minnesota State Patrol, will be patrolling the area during the event to ensure a safe riding environment.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) officials are urging riders and drivers to prevent serious and fatal crashes by working together to make safety a priority for the remainder of the motorcycle season. Motorcyclist traffic fatalities in Minnesota are the highest they have been in several years. Through Sept. 11, preliminary figures show 70 motorcyclists have died on Minnesota roads so far this season. That compares with 56 deaths last year, 48 in 2020 and 39 in 2019 at this time in previous years.
“The Fall Flood Run offers great views and a great time for a good cause. But to keep everyone safe, we need riders and motorists to look out for each other," said Sgt. Troy Christianson, Minnesota State Patrol. “With the heartbreaking pace at which motorcyclists are losing their lives on the road this year, we want riders to have fun but don't ease up on safety."
Riders
Be prepared for inattentive drivers by staying focused on riding, keeping your speed in check and maintaining a three-second following distance.
Wear the gear. Motorcyclists should wear a DOT-approved helmet and brightly colored protective gear for visibility and protection. Of the 70 motorcyclist fatalities through Sept. 11, 52 were not wearing helmets.
Don't drink and ride.
Know how to navigate a curve. Here are tips to ride through curves safely:
Motorists
Watch for motorcyclists. Due to the smaller size of motorcycles, their speed and distance is more difficult to judge.
Always look twice before entering a roadway, turning left or changing lanes.
Give riders room by maintaining a three-second following distance and check blind spots.
Pay attention and drive at safe speeds.
The Fall Flood Run route spans from Minnesota into Wisconsin. Riders who are not familiar with the route should be cautious when riding on unfamiliar roads.
Riders can prevent crashes on unfamiliar roads by riding at safe speeds, riding sober and riding within their skill set.
About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) comprises 10 divisions where 2,100 employees operate programs in the areas of law enforcement, crime victim assistance, traffic safety, alcohol and gambling, emergency communications, fire safety, pipeline safety, driver licensing, vehicle registration and emergency management. DPS activity is anchored by three core principles: education, enforcement and prevention.
About the Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center
The Minnesota Motorcycle Safety Center (MMSC) provides high-quality rider education, training and licensing to prevent motorcycle crashes and the resulting fatalities and injuries. It was created in the early 1980s to address record high motorcyclist fatalities.
The MMSC provides on-cycle and classroom rider training courses, develops awareness campaigns and informational materials, and coordinates third-party skills testing for motorcycle license endorsement through the Basic Rider Course and evening testing at select DVS Exam Stations.
Motorcycle safety is a component of Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), the state's primary road safety initiative. A primary vision of the TZD program is to create a safe driving culture in Minnesota in which motorists support a goal of zero road fatalities by practicing and promoting safe and smart driving behavior. TZD focuses on the application of four strategic areas to reduce crashes — education, enforcement, engineering and emergency trauma response.
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