Eagan Police, Dakota County, and Minnesota State Patrol Catch 173 Drivers in Back-to-School Traffic Safety Operation
Photo Credit: Eagan Police Department.
EAGAN, MINNESOTA - As students returned to school this week, the Eagan Police Department launched a high-visibility traffic safety operation aimed at cracking down on distracted driving and other violations.
On Tuesday, Eagan officers teamed up with several Dakota County agencies and the Minnesota State Patrol, focusing enforcement efforts at two major intersections in the city. Over the course of less than four hours, officers stopped 173 drivers for various infractions, including using cell phones while driving, failing to wear seatbelts, and other safety-related violations.
Police say the effort was not a “sting” operation. In fact, officers did not attempt to hide their presence at intersections. Still, they found no shortage of violators, many of whom were caught, ironically, recording or photographing officers from behind the wheel, the Eagan Police said.
“Sadly, Dakota County has the misfortune of being the #2 most deadly county in Minnesota to drive in so far this year,” Eagan Police said in a statement. “We need everybody’s help to keep our roadways safe, and the most important thing is to slow down and put the phones away.”
Officials are urging all drivers to take responsibility by obeying speed limits, wearing seatbelts, and, most importantly, putting their phones down while driving.
Deadly Year on Dakota County Roads
We decided to examine the numbers further, based on data provided by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. A total of 3,990 crashes have been reported in the county so far in 2025, involving 7,647 vehicles. Of those crashes:
2,968 resulted in property damage.
1,010 caused injuries, with a total of 1,424 reported injuries.
76 crashes were suspected of causing serious injury.
12 crashes resulted in fatalities, resulting in 14 deaths.
Fatal crashes have been spread across the county, with Lakeville recording the highest number at four. Other fatal crashes were reported in Apple Valley (1), Burnsville (1), Eagan (1), Rosemount (1), Empire (1), Farmington (1), and Coates (1).
According to data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, serious injury crashes have also been tracked across the county, of the serious crashes so far in 2025:
Apple Valley (16) and Burnsville (13) stand out with the highest number of suspected serious injury crashes.
Lakeville has seen 10, while Eagan reported 8.
Other communities with notable counts include Rosemount (3), West St. Paul (4), Inver Grove Heights (3), Mendota Heights (3), and South St. Paul (2).
Smaller communities such as Empire, Farmington, Hampton, Hastings, Miesville, Randolph, and Vermillion each recorded at least one.
Speed and Alcohol Leading Contributors
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety categorizes the county’s most severe crashes into three primary factors: alcohol, distraction, and speed. Of these, speed and alcohol stand out as the leading contributors to serious and fatal incidents so far in 2025.
Speed-related crashes account for 19 cases, or 22% of serious and fatal crashes, and were the top factor in deadly crashes at 42%.
Alcohol-related crashes make up 16 cases, or 18%, and were involved in 25% of fatalities.
Distraction-related crashes were recorded in just two cases (2%), appearing far less frequently than those related to speed and alcohol.
This data underscores that while distracted driving is often observed in routine traffic stops, speed and alcohol remain the most consistent and deadly threats on Dakota County roads this year.
Community Message: Drive Safe
As kids head back to school and our roads get busier, the responsibility to drive safely is on all of us. Dakota County’s crash numbers tell a sobering story — too many lives are being cut short, and too many families are being changed forever. The fixes aren’t complicated: slow down, don’t drive impaired, buckle up, and keep the phone out of your hands. Small choices behind the wheel can make the biggest difference in keeping our neighbors, friends, and families safe.
Written by: Will Wight
