The mild winter is a welcome sight to many, but it’s bringing on riskier driving.

State officials say the number of people who have died from car crashes in Minnesota so far this year is nearly double what it was at the same time last year.

To date, there have been 49 traffic deaths. This time last year, there were 29.

“It’s the highest we’ve seen in a significant number of years, this early in the year,” said Michael Hanson, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “That is terrifying and it should terrify everybody who uses our roads out there.”

Hanson says the mild winter is sparking summertime driving patterns like speeding because there’s no ice and snow. That’s on top of the unusually high number of fatal crashes involving impaired driving. So far in 2024, there have been 12 deadly crashes involving drivers under the influence. At this point last year, there were four. 

“When a traffic crash occurs and results in a death, it wrecks the family. It wrecks the community,” Hanson said.

Just last week, 8-year-old Joseph Fisher lost his life in a car crash in Elk River. 

Authorities say Joseph was in the car with his mom when they collided with another vehicle. The mom and the other driver are OK, and everyone was wearing a seat belt. 

Joseph’s aunt, Marcie Shwamberger, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that Joseph loved life and he was “into karate, just enjoyed soccer, playing games with his family.” 

“My memories are of us going on hikes and checking out waterfalls and finding caterpillars and going swimming,” Shwamberger said.

Joseph was a third grader at St. Andrew Catholic School and was always “curious about things.” The 8-year-old loved to create YouTube videos with his brother Isaac. 

As investigators continue to piece what exactly caused the Elk River crash, family members say their focus now is on remembering who Joseph was, not how he left.