By Rich Larson, KYMN News
The Rice County Safe Roads Coalition is urging motorists to take extra precautions right now as hazardous winter conditions, combined with risky driving behaviors, continue to pose serious safety challenges on Minnesota roads. According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Traffic Safety, winter brings the highest number of crashes each year, even though summer remains the worst season for fatalities.
Coalition members note that the dangerous behaviors seen during warmer months—speeding, distracted or impaired driving, and failure to wear seat belts—do not disappear when temperatures drop. Instead, the addition of snow, ice and poor visibility heightens the likelihood of serious crashes.
To help reduce injuries and save lives, the coalition is reminding drivers of several key steps to stay safe this season. Motorists are encouraged to prepare their vehicles by checking tire condition, antifreeze levels and windshield washer fluid, and by keeping an emergency kit on hand. Drivers should stay further back from other vehicles, avoid sudden braking or steering, and watch closely for black ice, especially on bridges, overpasses and shaded stretches of roadway. Using headlights during low‑visibility conditions, staying alert for plows and pedestrians, and checking weather forecasts before traveling are also strongly recommended.
The Rice County Fatal Review Committee, part of the Safe Roads Coalition, meets quarterly to study local crash data and identify emerging trends. The group brings together representatives from law enforcement, emergency medical services, fire departments, Public Health, the County Attorney’s Office and city, county and district engineers. Their findings guide recommendations to improve roadway safety and support the statewide Toward Zero Deaths initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries through coordinated education, engineering, enforcement and emergency response efforts.
Rice County has seen progress over the long term. In 2025, four people were killed and 23 were seriously injured on county roads—a significant decline from the 20 fatalities recorded in 2000. Recent outreach efforts have focused on teen and older drivers, two groups historically at higher risk.
“It’s not just about numbers,” Rice County Public Health Director Deb Purfeerst said in the statement. “Any fatal crash is tragic, and our goal is to reduce fatal crashes to zero.”
For more information, visit the Public Health page on the Rice County Website at ricecountymn.gov.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net.
