[Lake County, MN] — The Lake County Toward Zero Deaths Coalition is part of the Northeast Region of Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths (TZD) with the mission of “bringing together Education, Enforcement, Emergency Medical and Trauma Services, Engineering and more (Everyone)!” The coalition is made up of traffic safety partners from each of these “E”s to identify and focus on activities that will improve road safety in our area and prevent serious injury and fatal crashes on Lake County roads.
In 2025, there were 370 traffic-related deaths in Minnesota – a 22% decrease from 2024 and the lowest since 2019. While this is encouraging, 370 is still too many. To help lower this number, the Lake County TZD Coalition applied for and received the 2026 Safe Roads Grant from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) and is currently in the middle of planning community activities and outreach across all age groups. According to data from OTS, Lake County’s biggest areas of need include impaired driving, speed, and seatbelt use. The coalition chose activities that address these three areas, including: partnering with the State Patrol for driver’s education, attending the Two Harbors High School After Prom Party with safe driving activities, Responsible Beverage Server Training for local establishments that serve alcohol and THC beverages, and CarFit; an event coming in late Spring that focuses specifically on older driver safety.
The coalition is always looking for new partners! The “Everyone” means just that – anyone who is interested in the coalition and its efforts is welcome to join! There are many opportunities for engagement in the community, and the more people at the table, the better! There is much work to be done, but together we can work toward the goal of zero deaths. Please contact Chelsey Ojard at chelsey.ojard@co.lake.mn.us for information regarding the Lake County coalition and watch the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for event updates. To find out more about Minnesota TZD please visit: https://www.minnesotatzd.org/.
