ST. PAUL, Minn. - Despite the barrage of warnings and law enforcement saturation campaigns, Minnesotans continue to use their smart phones behind the wheel.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says citations for texting and driving jumped 23 percent in 2017, to 7,357, up from 5,988 the year before. Statistics show distracted driving contributes to one in four crashes statewide, causing an average of 59 deaths and 223 serious injuries per year.
"I think we're seeing people who are completely disregarding the law as it is right now, and are continuing to make bad decisions behind the wheel," said Mike Hanson, Traffic Safety Director for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. "The problem is an individual one. It's an individual choice that a driver makes while they're behind the wheel."
Meanwhile, citations for speeding and not wearing a seatbelt actually decreased in 2017. Law enforcement wrote 211,603 tickets for excessive speed last year, down 5,000 from 2012 statistics. The Department of Public Safety maintains that speeding is a factor in 82 deaths and 249 injuries per year.
The news is also good for seatbelts. Last year 32,071 tickets were written for non-compliance, a 53 percent decrease from 2012.