What:

Last year, 478 people died on Minnesota roads and 29 people died in distracted driving-related crashes. To prevent further tragedy and keep Minnesota roads safe, the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is announcing an extra distracted driving enforcement campaign during April on Minnesota roads.

The Minnesota Safety Council and law enforcement agencies are partnering with OTS to kick off the campaign. Media will get a close look at traffic safety vehicles designed to give law enforcement a clear view of what drivers are doing behind the wheel. The law enforcement pickups and sport utility vehicles are customized with cameras and equipment to document distracted driving or other dangerous driving behaviors. OTS has awarded grant funding to law enforcement agencies around the state to purchase the traffic safety vehicles.

Who:

• Shannon Grabow, Office of Traffic Safety principal state program administrator
• Col. Christina Bogojevic, Minnesota State Patrol chief
• Cmdr. Jeremy Ellison, Saint Paul Police
• Lisa Kons, Minnesota Safety Council traffic safety and advocacy director