2 teens hurt after being struck by car in Maple Grove
Two teenagers were injured in Maple Grove on Monday morning when a driver struck them while they were crossing the street.
The incident occurred near the 9400 block of Fernbrook Lane at 7:15 a.m., according to the Maple Grove Police Department. The boys were in the crosswalk when they were struck.
One 15-year-old boy was treated at the scene for minor injuries. A 16-year-old boy was transported to North Memorial Medical Center with serious but not life-threatening injuries. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.
The Maple Grove Police Department is investigating the incident.
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Pedestrian fatalities in the state have been on the rise for the last two years. Already in 2016, 41 pedestrians in Minnesota died after drivers hit them, according to preliminary numbers from the Department of Public Safety. At the same time last year, 24 pedestrians had been killed on state roads.
Minnesota State Patrol Lt. Robert Zak said the leading cause of pedestrian fatalities in the state appears to be distracted driving. While pedestrians should pay attention to traffic and cross at crosswalks, there are some basic things drivers can do to avoid hurting a pedestrian, Zak said.
"Treat every corner as a crosswalk, and make sure they stop for crossing pedestrians at every corner, that's the law," Zak said. "Drive at safe speeds, be alert for pedestrians, avoid distractions."
About a quarter of all vehicle crashes that resulted in injury or death are caused by distracted drivers, according to state data.