Almost 70,000 speeding tickets were issued during the latest speeding crackdown in Minnesota, which ran during the most dangerous time on the road – the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
In all, 68,723 speeding tickets were handed out during the four-month campaign and encompassed over 260 departments across the state. Officials had previously stated that the goal of the campaign was “to stop speeders from putting their lives and the lives of others at risk.”
“In a world where speeding has become all too common, it’s easy to forget that it steals lives,” said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety Direct Mike Hanson. “The staggering fact that over 68,000 speeding tickets were issued over four months, and that’s only the people who were caught, highlights the severity of the issue. We must prioritize safety over speed. No destination is worth the risk of losing a life.”
Many Caught Speeding Over 100 MPH
According to the DPS, 58 agencies across the state ticketed at least one driver going 100 mph or faster. Here’s a look at some of the top speeds recorded by the different police agencies:
- 130 mph – Minnesota State Patrol Rochester district
- 130 mph – Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office
- 127 mph – Minnesota State Patrol Twin Cities west metro district
- 126 mph – Minnesota State Patrol St. Cloud district
- 126 mph – Minnesota State Patrol Detroit Lakes district
- 126 mph – Rice Police Department
- 125 mph – St. Francis Police Department
Other reported high speeds in the Twin Cities metro area
- 115 mph – Airport and Anoka police departments
- 110 mph – Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office
- 101 mph – Bloomington and Chaska police departments
The speeding crackdown coincided with the Labor Day DWI crackdown, which ran from August 16 through September 2nd. The DPS noted that there were 1,235 DWI arrests during that crackdown, with many agencies arresting drivers with blood alcohol concentrations 4x-5x the legal 0.08 limit. Here’s a look at the drunkest drivers that were caught during that crackdown.
- Eagan Police Department (0.443)
- Steel County Sheriff’s Office (0.401)
- Dodge County Sheriff’s Office (0.373)
- Madelia Police Department (0.37)
- Wayzata Police Department (0.361)
- Crookston Police Department (0.36)
Looking at these numbers, it should come as no surprise that traffic fatalities are on the rise in Minnesota. So far, traffic-related fatalities are up 11% compared to the same time last year (322 vs. 286 in 2023). Speed has been cited in 94 road fatalities this year, up from 81 at the same point in 2023.
So although the enhanced crackdown has officially ended, don’t assume that law enforcement officials are going to ease off the tickets. If you’re caught speeding or driving under the influence, you’re going to be cited or arrested, and know that there will still be a heavy police presence on the roads. We’re here to help in the event that you end up cited or arrested, but we’d rather you just heed our advice to drive safe so that everyone can make it home at the end of the day.
For assistance fighting a traffic-related offense or a different type of criminal charge, reach out to Avery Appelman and the team at Appelman Law Firm today at (952) 224-2277.
