In 2023, Eden Prairie police issued 2,179 speeding citations. So far this year, they have handed out over 1,800. These figures do not include citations issued within city limits by the state patrol or the county sheriff.
“There have been 10 traffic fatalities in the city in the past 10 years, and three were a result of speeding,” said Eden Prairie police Sgt. Tom Lowery. “No speeding deaths have occurred this year.”
This summer, law enforcement agencies across Minnesota are participating in an annual campaign to crack down on speeding. According to preliminary reports from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, 115 people died in speed-related traffic crashes in Minnesota last year. Speed contributed to an average of 123 deaths per year from 2019 to 2023.
Lowery, a 24-year veteran of the department, believes speeding has increased during his tenure.
The consequences of speeding are significant, including a greater risk of losing vehicle control, increased stopping distance, less time to avoid potential crashes, and a higher likelihood of serious injuries or death.
Lowery notes certain trends in driver speeding.
“There is naturally more speeding during non-winter months when inclement weather tends to slow most people down, and rush hours result in less opportunity for speeding,” Lowery said.
He added that no particular type of roadway is more prone to speeding, whether it’s a residential street or an interstate freeway.
Receiving a speeding ticket can be costly. The cost of a speeding violation varies by county, but fines for drivers can typically surpass $110, including court fees, for traveling 10 mph over the limit. Fines double for those speeding 20 mph over the limit, and drivers can lose their license for six months for going 100 mph or more.
Are there specific roadways in the city that have a higher incidence of speeding drivers?
Lowery mentioned that certain roads, such as Baker Road between Valley View Road and Highway 62, and Dell Road and Anderson Lakes Parkway, have higher-than-normal levels of speeding.
“If we start receiving a number of complaints about a specific street or highway, we will increase the number of officers there,” he said.
In the mid-1950s, the state of Minnesota launched a campaign when driving deaths across the United States were at epidemic proportions. The slogan was “Speed Kills.”
Nearly 70 years later, it still does.
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