Safe Communities of Wright County

Question: I saw last article talking about motorcycles. I know there was a new law last year about lane splitting. Can you write about that?
Answer: Lane splitting and lane filtering was legal in Minnesota as of July 1, 2025. Motorists and motorcyclists need to be aware of this new law and how it will affect them to ensure it is enacted safely and respectfully on Minnesota roadways.
Lane splitting is allowed when two or more lanes of traffic are traveling in the same direction and traffic is moving. It allows a motorcycle to pass another vehicle in the same direction of travel and in the same traffic lane only under these conditions:
• At no more than 25 miles per hour.
• No more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes.
Lane filtering is allowed when two or more lanes of traffic are traveling in the same direction and traffic is NOT moving. It allows a motorcycle to move through traffic that is stopped, such as at a traffic light or traffic jam, only under this condition:
• No more than 15 miles per hour over the speed of traffic in the relevant traffic lanes.
Lane splitting and filtering cannot be performed under the following circumstances:
• At the approach, drive-through, or exit of a roundabout.
• In a school zone.
• In a work zone where only a single travel lane is available for use.
• On an on-ramp to a freeway or expressway.
Motorcyclists:
• It is your responsibility to determine if these maneuvers can safely be performed in a given situation.
• Do not perform them if you cannot do so safely and within the legal speed restrictions.
Motorists:
• Be aware of motorcycles sharing your lane in slow-moving traffic and when stopped at intersections.
• Do not impede their legal right to do so.

It's HOT in here!! Even a few minutes can be too hot for young children in a vehicle!!

Make a plan to do your grocery shopping at Hugo's Family Marketplace on 32nd Avenue South today and then stop by and check out our Safe Kids heatstroke display that will be set up from about 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Vision Zero ND

Hugo's Family Marketplace
Altru Health System
Altru Foundation
Safe Kids Worldwide
State Farm

It doesn't have to be a hot day. A 70-degree afternoon feels mild to you. Inside a parked car with the windows cracked, it reaches 89 in ten minutes.

Your dog starts closer to the danger line than you do. Her normal body temperature is already 101. She cools herself almost entirely by panting — pulling air across her tongue. When the air inside the car is hotter than her body, the system stops working. There's nothing left to cool with.

Cracking the windows changes the interior temperature by less than four degrees. The glass traps heat faster than the gap releases it.

🐾 The rule:

- Above 65 degrees — the dog stays home. Not in the car with water. Not with the windows cracked. Not with the engine running. Home.

The ten minutes you planned is the twenty minutes you actually take. She doesn't have the difference 🐾

Here is a timely reminder about how hot cars get, even when the temperature outside isn't super-hot. Cracking a window does not cool down the inside of a car enough to leave children in there.

Take care to make sure your parked vehicles are locked as well. Children are curious and will check out whatever they can into and may not be able to get out of.

Vision Zero ND
Minnesota CPS
Minnesota Safety Council
Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety
MN Toward Zero Deaths
Altru Health System
NoHeatstroke.org

It’s National Trailer Safety Week! 🛻🛥️ Handling a heavy load changes everything about how your vehicle drives.

Don't hit the road without checking these 4 rules:
💪 Ensure your vehicle can safely handle the trailer's max weight
⚖️ Load the front half heavier to prevent dangerous trailer sway
🪢 Use heavy-duty straps so cargo can't shift
🔗 Cross safety chains in case of hitch failure

Minnesota has seen an alarming rate of motorcycle fatalities this year. Since January 1, we have lost 26 motorcycle drivers and passengers. These are not acceptable numbers. Please watch out for each other. It all starts with us.

The Dakota County Drug Task Force is warning residents about an increase in fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Dakota County over the past week.

This may signal an increased presence of fentanyl in circulating illegal drugs.

Know the signs of an opioid overdose:
• Loss of consciousness
• Slow, shallow, erratic, or stopped breathing
• Blue, purple, gray, or ashen skin tone
• Choking, gurgling, or snore-like sounds
• Vomiting
• Limp body

Naloxone, also known as Narcan, can reverse an opioid overdose if given in time.
Find naloxone near you: https://knowthedangers.com/naloxone-finder

• For emergencies: call 911.
• For mental health or emotional support: call or text 988.