A grim milestone in traffic deaths for 2015

Published 10:51 am Thursday, April 30, 2015

ST. PAUL — Minnesota is seeing a faster pace than last year in traffic deaths following the death of three people in two wrecks this week.

The Tuesday collisions mark 100 deaths on Minnesota roads for 2015. The state Department of Public Safety said Wednesday that traffic deaths last year didn’t hit 100 until May 21.

So far, there have been no 2015 fatal crashes in Mower County; however, 19-year-old Helayna Nguyen of Austin died in an April 19 crash in Waseca County.

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Minnesota Public Radio reports that at this time last year, 92 people had died on Minnesota roads, including one motorcyclist and one pedestrian.

Public safety officials say not wearing a seat belt is a major factor in traffic deaths. Other common causes of fatal crashes are speeding, drunken driving and distracted driving.

—The Austin Daily Herald contributed to this report.