WILLMAR -- Statistics from the Minnesota Department of Safety show that Kandiyohi and Steele counties are the deadliest counties for teen motorists in greater Minnesota.
Between 2004 and 2006, eight teens died on Kandiyohi County roads and four of them were not using their seatbelts. Statewide, 176 teens died over the three-year period and at least 98 of the 16- to 19-year-old motorists were not belted.
State DPS statistics found that 55 percent of the deaths were in unbelted teens, 36 percent of those who died were wearing their seatbelts and in 8 percent of the cases, the usage was unknown.
The west central grouping of Chippewa, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Pope and Stevens counties was identified as a deadly cluster. Twenty teens, 11 who were not belted, have died in motor vehicle crashes in the three-year period.
Cheri Marti, director of the DPS's office of traffic safety, urged parents to stress seatbelt use and to continue to monitor and train teens in a variety of driving conditions and environments, even after the teen is licensed.
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The DPS numbers showed that the seven-county metro area accounted for 54 deaths, or 30 percent of the total. Three counties -- Anoka, Dakota and Washington -- accounted for 70 percent, 37 teens, of the metro area fatalities.
Other area counties ranking in the statistics:
Stearns: four deaths, all four were not wearing seatbelts
Chippewa: three deaths, two with no seatbelts
Meeker: one death, no seatbelt
Pope: two deaths, one with no seatbelt
Swift: no deaths
Renville: one death, no seatbelt.
