Ask a trooper

Sgt. Jesse Grabow of the Minnesota State Patrol

Question: Hello, I thought I read somewhere that rest areas help reduce crashes. I saw a trooper at a rest area the other day, and it got me thinking about that. Can you write about that?

Answer: More than 20 million travelers stop at Minnesota rest areas annually.
Rest areas serve as an essential safety feature on the highway system by giving travelers a place to stop and rest. That helps address driver fatigue, a major cause of serious crashes. Studies reveal that a 15 to 20 minute break improves individual performance, even among sleep-deprived people.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDoT), rest areas serve as a practical way to provide motorists a convenient opportunity to stop, rest and refresh.
In addition, rest areas also:
• Reduce motorist need for shoulder stops.
• Reduce driver and passenger discomfort.
• Reduce driving under hazardous weather and road conditions.
• Offer customer services.
• Promote statewide tourism.

For more information on the safety value of rest areas, visit MnDoT’s website here: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/restareas/program.html#safety

A portion of state statutes were used with permission from the Office of the Revisor of Statutes. If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota, send your questions to Trp. Jesse Grabow – Minnesota State Patrol at 1000 Highway 10 West, Detroit Lakes, MN 56501-2205. (You can follow him on Twitter @MSPPIO_NW or reach him at, jesse.grabow@state.mn.us).