Law enforcement cracking down on dangerous driving during summer-long campaign

Minnesotans apparently like to drive fast. Maybe too fast.

Law enforcement statewide is stepping up efforts to rein in dangerous driving over the summer, and speeding is at the top of the list. An enforcement campaign started Thursday and will run through Sept. 2.

Last year, a similar crackdown between May and September resulted in more than 68,700 motorists being cited for exceeding the speed limit — and that was just the number of drivers who were caught. Sadly, 137 people died in speeding-related crashes in Minnesota in 2024.

That highlights the severity of the issue, said Mike Hanson, director of the Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety.

“Everyone knows that speeding is wrong, but yet so many people still do it,” Hanson said. “Trust me, you won’t get there faster if you are in a fatal crash.”

So far this year, 15 people have died in wrecks in which speeding was a factor, the DPS said. But fatalities tend to spike between Memorial Day and Labor Day, dubbed the “100 deadliest days” to be on the roads by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

Speeding is on the rise, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says.

Why is that?

The answer might be found in the Foundation for Traffic Safety’s 2023 Traffic Safety Culture Index, which found that Americans do not perceive speeding to be as dangerous as other risky behaviors such as tailgating, running red lights or driving while intoxicated, distracted or drowsy.

A U.S. Department of Transportation Department survey assessing attitudes and behaviors about speeding published in December 2024 found 62% of drivers say they speed to keep up with the flow of traffic. Other common reasons given include “running late,” speed limit too low, no other traffic present, being comfortable driving fast or being alone in the car. A few, 7%, speed because they believed they would not get caught, the survey said.

“Speeding is dangerous and unnecessary,” the DPS says. It can be costly, too: A ticket can cost more than $110 with court fees tacked on. Fines double for motorists caught going more than 20 mph over the limit.

“It’s so frightening seeing a car come whizzing past your rearview mirror,” Hanson said.

The NHSTA gives this advice to motorists who encounter lead-foot drivers:

As part of the four-month campaign, law enforcement also will looking for drivers who are not wearing seat belts or driving while distracted or impaired.

Faster speeds on Hwy. 62

One place drivers can legally go faster is on the east end of Hwy. 62. The speed limit between Hwy. 55 and Interstate 494 increased from 55 mph to 60 mph on Thursday. The change was authorized by the MnDOT commissioner following an engineering and traffic study.

Motorists will now see a uniform speed limit along the entire 18 miles of the highway from Minnetonka to Mendota Heights.