Blog Archive: August 2017
Aug. 31
We know: You’re a safe, responsible driver. But that’s not all it takes to stay safe on the road. You could be cruising down the highway, seat belt firmly buckled, obeying the speed limit – but what about that drunk driver coming toward you? The sad part is, this may not be the first time that person has driven under the influence – they may even have prior convictions. In fact, 41 percent of drivers with DWI arrests in 2015 had at least one prior drunk driving conviction. And there are currently almost 266,000 Minnesota drivers with more than one DWI on their record...
Aug. 28
Let’s say you’re driving down the right-hand lane of a divided highway and you see that a car has been pulled over by law enforcement. And even though both vehicles are as far to the right as they can get without rolling into the ditch, they’re still dangerously close to your lane. What do you do? If you’re like most drivers, you have the common sense and compassion to give them some room by moving into the next lane. But did you know it’s also a Minnesota State law? It’s called the Ted Foss Move Over law...
Aug. 24
How do you and your family plan your day at the Minnesota State Fair? Do you each pick a can’t-miss favorite? Do you work your way around from east to west and back? Or maybe you just go where your fancy takes you. But once everyone has their Pronto Pups and cheesy nacho corn on the cob, you’ll definitely want to bring the whole gang over to Expo Place at Murphy Avenue and Cooper Street on Monday, Aug. 28, for Minnesota State Patrol Day at the Fair. When you see Trooper 7, the State Patrol helicopter, you’ll know you’re in the right place...
Aug. 21
Candy bars. Pork chops. Macaroni and cheese. If it’s on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair, you can bet people will be waiting in long lines to get their grub on. We get it. Food and the Great Minnesota Get-Together go together like, well, macaroni and cheese (even the kind on a stick). But maybe you’re not into the whole food-on-a-stick thing. Maybe you’re more interested in going to the Fair to absorb information that can save your life instead of calories...
Aug. 17
We’re all in the same boat right now: The kids just got out of school, we blinked, and now summer’s almost over. How did that happen? Fortunately there’s time to squeeze in a few last drops of fun before the weather turns chilly – just make sure you do so safely, especially when it comes to driving. After all, more drunk-driving-related deaths happen over the summer months than at any other time. From 2011-2015, for example, there were 150 deaths from June through August, compared to 84 from December through February. And there are more DWI arrests per hour over the Labor Day...
Aug. 14
As a motorist, getting stuck behind a school bus can be annoying. There you are, stopping every block or two, waiting as kids and teens get on or off the bus. Here, a mom leans in the door to speak to the driver. There, a little girl runs back on to retrieve a forgotten mitten. It’s easy to get impatient. And although you’re probably like most people, who know that their inconvenience is less important than schoolchildren’s safety, not everyone thinks that way. Which is why there are laws in Minnesota in place that penalize drivers who don’t practice good school bus safety...
Aug. 10
We get it: You’re not an excavator, but sometimes you play one on TV. Or rather, sometimes you dig holes in your yard to plant trees or shrubs or install mailboxes or swing sets or any number of things. And even though Minnesota state law requires anyone doing any sort of excavation (yes, even to carve out a new little garden in the corner of the lawn over there) to give notice before they dig, wouldn’t you want to do it anyway? Calling before you dig can help you avoid fines, but more importantly, you can prevent accidents, explosions, injury and even death...
Aug. 7
Meet King, Keno and Remi. They’re dedicated Minnesota State Troopers, having completed a grueling 15-week training course. They love their jobs and are committed to their work of helping get drugs off the streets. They’re dependable, passionate, and work well with their fellow troopers. Oh, and they’re dogs. The three newest additions to the State Patrol’s K-9 unit bring the total up to 16, stationed around the state. Fifteen of them are trained to detect the odors of various narcotics (they helped seize 1,150 pounds of marijuana alone in the first six months of 2017)...
Aug. 3
Let’s face it: We’re not getting any younger, and neither are our parents. And as your parents age, you might be finding your roles reversing a bit: Where once Mom doled out your allowance, you are now helping make financial decisions for her. Maybe Dad bandaged your skinned knees when you fell off your bike, but now you accompany him to the doctor. It’s important that one of those role reversals doesn’t fall through the cracks: fire safety and prevention. The numbers show that adults over age 60 are a demographic particularly vulnerable to fires...
