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Nancy Lebens

Hard number: 100 deaths on Minnesota roads

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Two crashes that killed three people Tuesday left Minnesota at a grim milestone: 100 road deaths already in 2015, a pace faster than last year.

The incidents on Tuesday included a northeastern Minnesota head-on crash on Highway 45 that killed Karen Johnson, 56, of Esko, Minn., and Joshua Padgett, 32, of Carlton, Minn. A 3-year-old child was seriously injured.

Public safety officials report seven motorcycle fatalities and 10 deaths of pedestrians so far in 2015.

At this time last year, 92 people had died on Minnesota roads, including one motorcyclist and one pedestrian.

Road deaths in 2014 didn't hit 100 until May 21, the state Department of Public Safety said Wednesday.

The fatality numbers for last year are still preliminary, but DPS said 5,583 lost their lives in traffic accidents between 2003 and 2014.

Not wearing a safety belt is a factor in about half of traffic deaths, according to public safety officials.

The other most common causes are speed, drunk driving and distracted driving, which DPS says caused one in four fatalities.

Earlier this month, Minnesota law enforcement began a push to cite more drivers for texting and other activities that could lead to accidents.

Troopers say they've found motorists painting nails, reading newspapers and playing video games.