Extra caution while driving, State Patrol advises

The State Patrol and MnDOT are warning drivers to be extra careful and avoid distractions after three people were killed on Minnesota roads Monday within five hours in separate accidents.

A 62-year-old woman died when she rear-ended a semitrailer in a construction zone on Interstate 694. In Itasca County, an ATV driver was killed after sideswiping a semitrailer. In Mille Lacs County, an 18-year-old woman died when she was hit broadside by an SUV that ran a stop sign.

The crashes are still under investigation, but driver inattention is usually a major factor in road accidents, said State Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske.

"Obviously cell phone use is a huge one we hear about now, but any distraction in the vehicle, or a driver just simply not paying attention, can create a very dangerous situation," Roeske said.

Also Monday, another woman suffered serious injuries when the car she was riding in was rear-ended in a work zone on Highway 212 west of the Twin Cities.

The construction zone accidents highlight the need for increased patience and awareness in work zones, "just a general higher level of caution as you're driving through those areas," Roeske added.