Minnesota Woman Shares Story To Help End Traffic Fatalities

A Minnesota traffic safety program pushes drivers to steer clear of being distracted on the roads.
 
West Central Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths is trying to find answers on how to reduce the traffic deaths to zero.

According to data one of the leading cause of deaths and severe injuries on the roads in West Central Minnesota is inattentive driving.

It was one of the reasons why a local man’s life was taken nearly two summers ago.
 
“For me, it took my dad being killed by a texting driver. I’m hoping that is not the impact that somebody else needs,” says Katie DeGier of Alexandria, Minnesota.
 
DeGier’s father Dave Hawkinson was struck by a distracted driver while out cycling in Grandin, North Dakota.

He was training for an Ironman competition that would later happen in August 2014.

DeGier shares her story in hopes that it would encourage one person to put their phone away while driving.
 
“What we’re trying to do is change the culture in Minnesota and talk about traffic safety as a parent as an influencer who we call the risk takers to change their behaviors so they don’t do it in the first place,” says TZD program coordinator Kristine Hernandez.
 
 
It’s an effort that is led by a committee comprised of the 4 E’s: Enforcement, Engineering, Education and EMS.

But it’s the impact speakers that have the most influence when it comes to changing lifestyles.
 
“Hopefully we can learn from other people’s mistakes. And just get better out here driving and being aware of the dangers on our highways on a daily basis,” says Minnesota State Trooper Sgt. Jesse Grabow.
 
Minnesota State Patrol says distracting driving is anything that takes your focus and eyes off the road.

It’s a bad habit that isn’t worth ending a life.
 
DeGier adds, “You need to just put it down and realize do you want to kill somebody’s mom, grandma, dad, anybody?”
 
It’s a serious issue that DeGier wants to get across to drivers.

It’s a conversation she hopes will connect with those “risk takers” being careless on the road, and one that could’ve saved her father from now being more than just a memory.
 
“So that’s what I’d like him to be mostly remembered for above and beyond his athletic ability. Just the type of person he was, he was an amazing person to have around. He’s greatly missed,” says DeGier.
 
This is the fifth regional workshop out of eight around Minnesota.

Toward Zero Deaths has been fighting to end traffic facilities since 2012.