Safety data

Vision Zero by the numbers

Vision Zero uses data to make improvements that will

• Reduce crashes
• Save lives
• Address inequities experienced on the street related to crashes

Between 2017 and 2025, about 160 people each year died or were seriously injured in traffic crashes in our city, a total of almost 1,500 people. That is unacceptable and preventable. The number of people killed or seriously injured decreased from the mid-2000s until 2014. Serious injury and fatal crashes were on the rise until 2022, and have begun to decline every year since then.

2022 saw 206 serious injury or fatal crashes. After 2022, there has been a decrease in fatal and severe injury crashes; all other crashes have decreased in recent years.

Crashes more likely on certain streets

Minneapolis crashes and serious injuries happen more often on a small percentage of streets.

These streets often have a high amount of:

• Walking
• Biking
• Transit
• Driving

High Injury Streets

These are 10% of our streets, and yet they are where 64% of the fatal and serious injury crashes happened between 2020-2024. We are making special efforts to make these streets safer for everyone.

View the High Injuries Streets map

Native American and Black residents are disproportionately impacted

Traffic fatalities impact Native American and Black residents more than other groups.

Native American and Black residents experienced traffic crashes in a disproportionate way. This is consistent with trends in earlier years. This means that compared to population size, they're more often affected by this issue.

Native American resident impacts

• Native American residents are 2% of the Minneapolis population.
• They are 8% of people killed in pedestrian and bicycle traffic crashes.
• They are also 7% of people killed in vehicle crashes.

Black resident impacts

Black residents are 19% of Minneapolis population but are 41% of people killed in vehicle crashes.

More resident impacts

• Hispanic residents are 10% of the population and are 9% of people killed in pedestrian and bicycle crashes, and 11% of people killed in vehicle crashes.
• White and Asian residents are less likely to die in traffic crashes. These groups are not disproportionately affected.

Areas with the most crashes

Fatal and serious injury crashes happen more often in Transportation Equity Priority areas. These are neighborhoods that have more People of Color and people with lower incomes.

The Racial Equity Framework for Transportation explains the Transportation Equity Priority areas.

Read the Racial Equity Framework for Transportation 

How we figured out Transportation Equity Priority areas

The areas are calculated based on data for:

• Race
• Income
• Transportation factors such as vehicle access

Serious and fatal crashes per 1,000 residents

29% of Minneapolis residents live in Transportation Equity Priority areas 1 and 2. 44% of severe and fatal crashes occurred in these areas from 2020-2024.

Bicyclists and pedestrians in crashes

Bicyclists and pedestrians are overrepresented in severe traffic injuries and deaths. There were 5 people killed while walking or rolling in 2025. This is the same as 2024.

Pedestrians

People in Minneapolis make 17% of their trips by walking or rolling. These pedestrians are 30% of severe traffic injuries and deaths.

Bicyclists

People in Minneapolis make 3% of their trips by bicycle. Bicyclists are 10% of severe traffic injuries and deaths.

Other groups not overrepresented

People in Minneapolis make 75% of their trips by automobile. Automobile crashes make up 48% of severe traffic injuries and deaths.

Minneapolis speed and crash data

Higher traffic speeds make crashes more likely to happen. It also makes crashes more likely to end in serious injury or death. This is especially true for people walking or rolling and biking.

The risk of serious injury or death is higher for older adults. Crashes that involve driver speeding have greatly increased. This is especially the case with fatal crashes.

Speed is a major factor in crashes

• In Minneapolis, speeding was a contributing factor in 80% of fatal crashes in 2024.
• This is much higher than previous years. Speeding was a contributing factor in 43% of Minneapolis fatal crashes in 2017. Nationally, it was a contributing factor in 29% of traffic fatalities in 2020.

Risk to pedestrians increase as driver speed increases

Data on speed and crash injury

• A person hit by a car traveling at 20 miles per hour has a 13% likelihood of suffering a serious injury or being killed.
• A person hit at 30 miles per hour has a 40% likelihood of suffering a serious injury or being killed.
• A person hit at 40 miles per hour has a 73% likelihood of suffering a serious injury or being killed.

Five unsafe behaviors lead to most crashes

The five behaviors that lead to the most serious and fatal crashes on Minneapolis streets are:

1. Red light running
2. Driver Speeding
3. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
4. Unsafe turning (failing to yield the right-of-way when turning)
5. Distracted driving

Source: Analysis of crash dataset used in the 2019 Vision Zero Crash Study.