Ask a Trooper

[Lee Borgersen]

  Ask a Trooper: What are the leading factors in crashes?
 
By Sgt. Neil Dickenson, Minnesota State Patrol

 

  Oct 11, 2015 at 7:44 p.m.



 



 

 
                                               
 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Q: What are the leading contributing factors in crashes in Minnesota?


A: Great question. When law enforcement is called to investigate a crash, in most cases, we complete the Minnesota Accident Report. The report requires the officer to fill in or answer certain questions that pertain to the incident such as road and weather conditions, driver and vehicle information, and contributing factors on how and why the crash occurred.

 



When the crash report is submitted, the crash data are stored and used to help prevent future crashes through engineering, education and enforcement. The contributing factors are used by law enforcement to help us determine what caused a crash and how we can reduce crashes in the future.


Minnesota’s top five contributing factors from 2010-14:

Fatal crashes
1.Speeding
2.Failure to yield
3.Driver inattention
4.Chemical impairment
5.Driving left of center

Injury crashes
1.Driver inattention
2.Failure to yield
3.Speeding
4.Following too close
5.Weather

Property damage crashes
1.Driver inattention
2.Failure to yield
3.Speeding
4.Following too close
5.Weather

Statistics about contributing factors to crashes are compiled by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety. The Patrol uses this information to focus our enforcement efforts on educating the public on dangerous driving behaviors, which hopefully will lead to preventing crashes.


By paying attention, driving the speed limit, wearing your seat belt and never driving impaired, you can reduce your chances of being involved in a potentially life-changing crash.

Sgt. Neil Dickenson is a public information officer with the Minnesota State Patrol.