The Minnesota Department of Public Safety says more people lost their lives on state roadways in 2018 compared to the year before.
Initial reports show 380 people were victims of fatal crashes last year, up from 358 in 2017.
Mike Hanson is director of the department's Office of Traffic Safety. Hanson tells Minnesota Public Radio News there are four things that would prevent 80 percent of the fatalities - seatbelts, obeying the speed limit, driving unimpaired and paying attention to surroundings.
"It's going to take everybody paying attention, not getting behind the wheel when they're impaired, by watching their speed and obeying the speed limit and by making sure everybody puts seatbelts on every trip, every time, every seat. Those four things alone would solve 80 percent of our fatality problems," Hanson told MPR.
The figures show 70 percent of the fatalities were men. Forty-two pedestrians died last year, as well as seven bicyclists. Of the 58 motorcyclists killed, 42 were not wearing helmets.
"They're making bad decisions," Hanson said of drivers. "We shouldn't need laws to legislate common sense. But that is where we're at."
