NEW ULM — The Brown County Sheriff’s Office is participating in the Minnesota Highway 14 Border to Border traffic enforcement campaign on Thursday, July 3.

Law enforcement agencies including agencies along Highway 14 from South Dakota to Wisconsin will join sheriff’s departments from Anoka, Carver, Crow Wing, Dakota, Hennepin, Itasca, Olmsted, Ramsey, St. Louis, Scott, Washington and Wright Counties in the all-day, saturation speed enforcement effort.

Brown County Sheriff Jason Seidl urged drivers to observe speed limits.

“Follow the posted speed limits so we don’t have to meet drivers by the side of the road,” he said.

Brown County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jeremy Reed praised the program.

“I think it’s a good thing to bring awareness to a project that encourages drivers to be safe,” said Reed.

The statewide saturation enforcement campaigns are part of the “100 deadliest days” on Minnesota roads, from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Law enforcement will concentrate on speed enforcement, which continues to be a leading cause of death on Minnesota roads.

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, there were 151 fatalities, 44 speed-related fatalities on Minnesota roads in 2024. There were 1,188 state highway fatalities from 2017-2024.

Preliminary figures show 477 people died on Minnesota roads last year.

Between 2019 and 2024, there were 115,643 citations involving distracted driving in Minnesota.

The four main fatal crash contributors remain consistent–speed, impairment, lack of seat belt use and distraction.

Last year, preliminary figures show speed played a major role in 137 state traffic deaths. Alcohol was a major contributor to 124 road deaths, unbelted driving caused 106 deaths and distracted driving led to 30 deaths.