Minnesota Police Start Using A.I. To Target and Ticket Violators

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car crashes in Minnesota. You've likely seen it on local roads, drivers eating, applying makeup, or fiddling with the radio or GPS.

The primary cause of distracted driving is the phone—whether it's talking, texting, taking photos, or scrolling through social media. One Minnesota police department is cracking down and has started using A.I. technology to identify and ticket violators.

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Mike Hanson is the director of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety and calls the amount of distracted driving on Minnesota roads “disturbing and extremely frustrating.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) said, between 2019 and 2023, distracted driving was a factor in 30,000 crashes, which led to an average of 29 deaths a year and 146 life-changing injuries per year.

Minnesota's "hands-free" law prohibits drivers from holding their phones in their hands. Texting, taking photos, scrolling social media, Googling directions, etc. are all against the law.

Distracted driving consequences in Minnesota:

• The DPS says first-time violators will be fined $100 (or more) including court fees for a first offense.
• The fine jumps to $300 or more including court fees for a second and/or subsequent offense.
• And, if you injure or kill someone you could face a felony charge of criminal vehicular operation or homicide.

Minnesota Police Start Using A.I. To Target and Ticket Violators

Using a state grant, the Southlake Minnetonka Police invested in A.I. technology to target distracted driving which they say is a major issue on Highway 7.

When traffic cameras catch a violator the image is immediately shared with the nearest officer on patrol. That officer will review the photo and determine whether or not to pursue and ticket the offender.

The department has been using this technology since the beginning of the month and has already handed out over 100 citations. According to WCCO, the new technology could detect 10,000+ cases of distracted driving by the end of the month.