​ST. PAUL –The year was 1944. Casablanca won best picture, the cost of gasoline was 21-cents a gallon, and it was the last time Minnesota saw the number of traffic fatalities this low.

Minnesota traffic fatalities dropped to 361 last year, the lowest since World War II when 356 people lost their lives in 1944. In addition, traffic fatalities are down 66 percent since 1968 when Minnesota reached an all-time record of 1,060 deaths.

While fewer people died on Minnesota roads, the total number of crashes increased by less than 1 percent to 78,396 in 2014. In addition, 190,070 people were involved in a crash in 2014 — that’s equal to the number of people who live in Rochester and Brooklyn Park combined.

The data is reported in Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts 2014 and published by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS). Crash Facts is an annual summary of traffic crashes derived from law enforcement reports and describes how, why and where crashes occurred and who was involved. The information guides future traffic safety initiatives that will lead to safer roads and changed driver behavior.

“Minnesota has made great strides in the past several years improving traffic safety in Minnesota,” said Department of Public Safety Commissioner Mona Dohman. “While we are making progress, there is cause for concern as 2015 is off to a difficult start. We can’t get complacent when it comes to traffic safety and we must all commit to being safe drivers.”

A Difficult Start to 2015
It has been a challenging six months on Minnesota roads, as 198 people have lost their lives in traffic crashes in 2015 compared with 164 reported this time last year – that’s a 21 percent increase.

The 198 deaths in 2015 include (preliminary numbers):

• 50 unbelted motorists.
• 37 motorcyclists, that compares to 18 riders this time last year, a 106 percent rise in deaths.
• 142 males.
• 53 females.
• 23 fatalities of people under 21-years-old.
• 41 deaths of motorists older than 65.

Breakdown of 2014 Traffic Deaths and Injuries
The lives lost in 2014 represent more than just statistics, they are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands, wives, children and friends.
The 361 fatalities include:

• 278 motorists
• 46 motorcyclists
• 17 pedestrians
• 7 ATV riders
• 5 bicyclists
• 1 farm equipment occupant
• 4 snowmobile riders
• 3 other vehicle types

There were 29,439 total injuries, of which 1,044 were severe.

Contributing factors
Driver inattention/distraction was the number one contributing factor in 2014 in multiple vehicle crashes. Other contributing factors, in order, include: failure to yield the right of way, and following too closely. 

The Alcohol Factor 
Drunk driving continues to be a major issue on Minnesota roads, as 25,258 drivers were arrested for a DWI in 2014. Those numbers are equivalent to nearly three DWI arrests per hour.

The numbers also reveal:

• 111 alcohol-related deaths. Alcohol-related is defined as any evidence of alcohol detected in a driver, pedestrian or bicyclist.
• 88 drunk driving fatalities. Drunk driving-related is defined as any driver with a BAC of .08 or above.
• 2,040 alcohol-related injuries.
• 3,453 alcohol-related crashes.
• One in seven Minnesota drivers has a DWI.

2014 Crash Facts — Additional Highlights 

• An average day on Minnesota roads includes:
• 215 crashes.
• One death.
• 81 injuries.
• 46 motorcycle deaths, a 23 percent decrease from 2013 (60 to 46).
• 17 pedestrians killed, 18 fewer than 2013.
• Five bicycle deaths compared with six last year.
• Of the 278 vehicle occupants killed last year in Minnesota, 106 were not buckled up.
• There were three children killed (ages 0–7) and 682 injured. Of those killed, two were properly restrained and one was unknown, and of the injured, 28 percent were not restrained.
• Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death in young people.
• One in four fatalities was less than 25 years of age.
• 99 people under age 30 died in crashes representing 27 percent of all traffic deaths.
• Most crashes occur in good driving conditions
• 68 percent on dry roads
• 9 percent on wet roads
• 18 percent on snow or ice
• Fatal crashes are most likely to occur during morning and afternoon rush hour. (6 – 9 a.m. and 3 – 6 p.m.). That’s a change from the 1990s when most fatal crashes occurred at night.
• Fridays – Sundays account for 162 of the 324 fatal crashes (50 percent).
• Of the 361 deaths, 266 (74 percent) occurred in rural Minnesota, while 95 deaths (26 percent) occurred in urban areas.

The state’s cornerstone traffic safety initiative, Toward Zero Deaths, has helped significantly over the past decade, with elements that include:

• Increased enforcement coupled with educational efforts and media campaigns
• MnDOT road engineering enhancements
• Improved emergency medical and trauma response

About the Minnesota Department Public Safety
DPS comprises 11 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 Office of Traffic Safety
the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety (DPS-OTS) designs, implements and coordinates federally funded traffic safety enforcement and education programs to improve driver behaviors and reduce the deaths and serious injuries that occur on Minnesota roads. DPS-OTS also administers state funds for the motorcycle safety program and for the child seats for needy families program.

DPS-OTS is an anchoring partner of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) traffic safety program. 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 medical and trauma response.

Recent DPS-OTS Activity and Statistics

• The Minnesota Department of Public Safety recently produced a video about the dangers of distracted driving called:Shattered Dreams: Distracted Driving Changes Lives.
• Minnesota law enforcement officers cited 7,393 motorists for lack of seat belt use from May 18 – 31. That compares to 10,874 seat belt citations during the 2014 campaign. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety recognized 39 law enforcement officers and prosecutors as DWI Enforcer All-Stars during the Minnesota Twins pre-game activities at Target Field on July 9.

​