Dylan’s mother, Sarah, has been a volunteer EMT for the past 15 years.

She experienced what no mother should have to experience after responding to a traffic collision.

The collision involving a semi and a car with three people inside in Fillmore County back on New Year’s Day. “I proceeded around the car to help the driver and I look down and see this crazy wild hair, and I see this bracelet and I realized it was my son,” says Delaney.

The first victim of a traffic fatality in the state. 

“Every time the pager goes off for a motor vehicle accident, you always fear that it’s someone you know, especially living in a small community,” says Delaney. “When I realized it was my son, it was just like the worst feeling ever."

Today, Delaney, standing alongside law enforcement officers from different agencies across Minnesota, while bravely holding back tears, is using her experience as an EMT and her devastating loss to help prevent future traffic deaths. “Just hoping if somebody can hear the message and maybe we can save a life, or two,” says Delaney.

So far this year, 314 people lost their lives in traffic accidents within the state, compared to 288 at this time last year. Officials say about 94 of those accidents were speed related, compared to 62 around this time in 2019.

“The numbers of fatalities have been climbing, and frankly there’s things that each and every one of us can do,” says Lt. Colonel Michelle Strofer of the Minnesota State Patrol. “We’ve had a very bad year for traffic fatalities, of the 300 that have died in traffic fatalities this year over a 1/3 of those are due to speed,” says Hodges.

Now, they’re banding together to share a message of safe driving, so no other family has to experience a holiday or just an empty chair at a table.

To see the original story and read related reporting, follow this link to the KARE 11 News website.  https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/traffic-fatalities-surge-statewide/89-4e2e6713-d4aa-44d2-9...