HIGHWAY DEATH PACE FASTER THAN LAST YEAR

At the current pace of traffic deaths, more Minnesotans will die in highway crashes this year than last. So far this year, four hundred people have died on Minnesota roads, about three weeks ahead of last year's pace. Highway Patrol Sergeant Curt Mowers said roughly 83% of us are wearing our seat belts but its not enough. Mower said of the 2,344 vehicle occupants who died between 2002 and 2006, more than half were not wearing seat belts. 494 people died on Minnesota roadways last year, the first year since 1945 that total crash fatalities were fewer than 500.