Memorial Day marks the beginning of the 100 deadliest days on Minnesota roads; goal of new Road Safety Information Center is to help prevent fatal crashes

ST. PAUL — As Minnesotans look forward to summer fun with the approaching Memorial Day holiday, St. Cloud-area law enforcement will be testing a new data analytics tool to keep people safe on the road. Memorial Day through Labor Day is known as the “100 deadliest days” for drivers because of the increase in fatal crashes.

Warmer weather and dry roads tempt drivers to speed and make other dangerous driving choices, leading to increased fatalities.

By the numbers: Memorial Day through Labor Day

• 151 fatalities in 2024
• 44 speed-related fatalities in 2024
• 1,188 fatalities from 2017-2024

New strategies are required to prevent tragedy on the road

Traffic safety advocates are exploring new strategies to prevent the heartache of losing a loved one in a crash. While traffic deaths so far this year are lower than in 2024 at this time, yearly fatalities remain higher than levels seen before the pandemic. That’s why the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is testing the effectiveness of the Road Safety Information Center (RSIC), a new analytics platform that would use multiple data sources to help prevent deadly crashes.

“The RSIC platform opens up a new world of possibilities for improving traffic safety,” said OTS Director Mike Hanson. “Smart choices such as buckling up and paying attention are still among the best ways to stay safe on the road, but with this technology at our fingertips, we’re hopeful even more lives can be saved.”

Pilot project to test and improve RSIC capabilities

In addition to statewide extra enforcement and awareness campaigns, OTS is conducting a RSIC pilot project with law enforcement partners in the St. Cloud area during Minnesota’s 100 deadliest days. Law enforcement will be testing how well the platform forecasts high risk crash areas and its usability for law enforcement on a daily basis. The goal? Proactive collaboration on targeted patrol efforts to reduce crash risk.

Law enforcement will provide feedback so OTS can work with its technology partners on improving RSIC’s capabilities. Those improvements will benefit law enforcement, emergency medical and trauma services, county and city agencies, and other traffic safety partners as they begin adopting the RSIC tool statewide. The platform is available at no charge for partners to use in developing traffic safety strategies.

Agencies participating in the pilot project include:

• Minnesota State Patrol
• Stearns County Sheriff’s Office
• Benton County Sheriff’s Office
• St. Cloud Police Department
• Waite Park Police Department
• Sartell Police Department
• Sauk Rapids Police Department
• St. Joseph Police Department
• Albany Police Department
• Cold Spring Police Department
• Sauk Centre Police Department
• Melrose Police Department
• Belgrade/Brooten Police Department
• Foley Police Department

Pilot project model will help prioritize traffic safety patrols

During the pilot project, the RSIC platform will use predictive algorithms, historical crash data from the OTS MNCrash system and Google maps to help law enforcement determine where to focus their traffic safety patrols. The model will look at past crash data to evaluate areas such as:

• Which days of the week are riskiest?
• What times of day are most dangerous?
• How might holidays affect crash risk?

The model will provide a crash score to show the risk level for different areas. This will help law enforcement be in the right place at the right time to prevent crashes and keep people safe.

Long-term goal: More effective implementation of traffic safety efforts across Minnesota

Based on pilot project feedback and ongoing partner input statewide, RSIC will continue to evolve as a data hub. It is designed to identify trends and patterns that might not be obvious otherwise. The new platform will benefit anyone who cares about traffic safety, from county highway departments and first responders to law enforcement and motorists. Visualization and mapping capabilities will allow users to zero in on areas to see what is happening.

Historical crash data, real-time data such as traffic volume, and multiple variables like time of day and weather could help with developing preventative measures. Efforts may include educational campaigns, engineering improvements like guardrails and better lighting, or law enforcement initiatives. As the platform develops, more data will become available to add to its analytical capabilities.

Project partnerships develop and offer feedback for platform

OTS is working with agency, technology and stakeholder partners to develop and receive improvement feedback on RSIC. Minnesota IT services (MNIT) is providing oversight and implementation of the project with OTS. The MNIT Technology Modernization Fund and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funding for the project. DPS is monitoring federal executive actions, including freezing or disrupting grants and loans that fund projects like the RSIC, and working to identify how those decisions may impact future development efforts of the RSIC. Having funding certainty from federal partners is critical in ensuring DPS meets the shared goal of saving lives on Minnesota’s roads. Technology partners include CARTO, Google Public Sector, Nerdery and PepprTech.

“The Road Safety Information Center exemplifies the power of collaboration and using modern technology to tackle complex challenges,” said Tarek Tomes, commissioner of MNIT and the state’s chief information officer. “By integrating advanced data analytics and real-time information, this platform equips traffic safety professionals, researchers and the public with invaluable insights. It is a significant step forward in our shared mission to use data to enhance road safety and protect the lives of all Minnesotans.”

RSIC is ultimately intended for anyone to access and explore ways for staying safe on Minnesota roads. By working together and with Minnesotans statewide, OTS and its traffic safety partners believe crashes are predictable and therefore preventable.

Media Resources

You can download the full news conference video from the DPS SharePoint and use this link to download a copy of the poster board used at the press conference.

About the Minnesota Department of Public Safety

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s more than 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.