The July period of extra speed enforcement by the Minnesota State Patrol ended Sunday, but troopers still want you to slow down. Unless you are doing so to allow ducks to cross the freeway.

The Minnesota State Patrol spent most of July with an added emphasis on speed enforcement. The patrol and the Department of Public Safety also surveyed drivers on their speeding habits.

  • 40 percent responded they speed to keep up with faster traffic.
  • 20 percent say they pass more cars than pass them.
  • Nearly 15 percent of drivers claim they don't feel safe speeding but do so anyway.
  • More than 10 percent believe they can travel 15 mph over the speed limit and not get pulled over.

The survey also asked why people speed. The top response was, "I'm comfortable driving fast." Other answers included boredom, a long distance to travel, not paying attention and up-tempo music.

During the enforcement campaign, the state patrol periodically tweeted out details of traffics stops. Excuses included running late for golf league, trying to keep a pizza warm, and testing out the capabilities of a new car. There was also an alarming number of stops of motorists exceeding 100 mph.

One of the few times troopers don't want you to slow down is when ducks, or any animals, are crossing the road. The following video from Twin Cities traffic cameras shows some terrifying near misses as drivers avoid striking a family of ducks. Safety officials understand that no one wants to hit an animal, however they are concerned the type of actions taken by motorists in this example will lead to vehicle collisions.

 

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