Loading ...[Video/Audio] Improving Traffic Safety on Rural Roadways
Crash victims are five to seven times more likely to die if arrival to a hospital exceeds 30 minutes. In rural areas, the average time between crash and hospital arrival is 52 minutes. Half of the 42,000 crash-related fatalities in the United States each year occur on two-lane rural roads. These statistics come from the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety. On Saturday morning, Congressman Jim Oberstar was in Cambridge speaking with both the Center and Isanti County, who are teaming up to better improve traffic safety in the county and region.
Congressman Oberstar:
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The relationship between CERS and Isanti County is aimed at reducing the number of deaths on state roadways, specifically in rural areas and raising awareness of traffic safety issues. Bob Johns is the Director of the Center for Transportation Studies at the University of Minnesota. He says the partnership is a natural fit because of the work the county is doing with its Safe Cab and Towards Zero Death Program.
Bob Johns:
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The work of the Safe Cab program help reduce the number of DWI’s in the county by 42-percent according to Judge James Dehn who also attended Saturday’s meeting. The Safe Cab program starts in Pine County on November 1st.
