Minnesota Lands in Top Ten Of Worst States For Winter Driving

According to data collected over the last three years by the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration Michigan by the financial company MoneyGeek they have compiled statistics of the worst states for winter driving.  Even for those of us who have lived in the Midwest our entire lives it never fails that accidents abound once the snow and ice hits the roads.

Even with all the precautions we can possibly take from snow tires to vehicles that have all wheel or four wheel drive the roads can still be very dangerous. This past weekend we were hit with a surprise snow storm in the Twin Ports catching many of us off guard. The plows and snow blowers were out in force but underneath the wet heavy snow is a nice layer of ice that still remains on many roads in the area. Even as cautious as we try to be you are always at the mercy of other drivers and wildlife on top of road conditions.

According to this report Michigan tops all the states with 54 deaths on the roads each winter when road conditions were far from ideal with snow, sleet, blowing and drifting snow and ice. From 2016-2018 Michigan had reported 169 deaths during the winter while Minnesota reported 69 over this same time period.

Nationwide more than 1,300 deaths and another 100,000 injuries were sustained in snowy and icy roads every year. The U.S. Department of transportation reports that 40% of all weather related vehicle crashes in the United States occur on icy and snow covered roadways.

Surprisingly, very heavily populated states that can experience some pretty harsh winter storms ranked very safe with Massachusetts ranked 42nd and New Jersey 45th, where safe drivers made up for wintery road conditions. Not surprisingly, the only 2 states that reported no record deaths due to winter driving conditions were Florida and Hawaii.

So where does Minnesota rank in all of this? Minnesota came in ninth, Wisconsin seventh, North Dakota eighth, South Dakota twelfth, and Iowa at twenty one. Alaska came in second behind Michigan. These statistics are definitely food for thought, what we have all heard our whole lives, is to slow down and be aware of your surroundings and other drivers. Winter has just begun in the Northland so let's all try and be safe out there.