Lately I’ve been hearing a lot of people use the phrase “two opposing things can be true at once.” And while that saying may be new to many of us, it’s actually been around for a long time in the worlds of psychology and conflict resolution. In fact, the most famous reference to this concept occurred 90 years ago in our own Minnesota author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s essay collection The Crack-Up.
Now nearly a century later, I’m observing that our traffic safety world is filled with many conflicting truths. Here are just a few:
- Traffic safety professionals and advocates have exciting new education and enforcement tools in place such as cameras in work zones and attention-getting campaigns, yet we continue to struggle to reduce our state’s crash and fatality numbers. We began 2026 well below previous year’s figures but now at the end of July, year-to-date crash deaths have surpassed the same period a year ago.
- E-bikes mean Minnesotans have a new, energy efficient mode of transportation for both commuting and recreation. The flip side is our state has seen an 800% surge in e-bike and e-scooter hospital admissions since 2023, especially among children who and, as riders struggle to manage these heavier and often faster two-wheeled vehicles, often without helmets.
- U.S. alcohol consumption continues to decline with the national adult drinking rate falling to a record low of 54%, down from 62% in 2023. Fewer than 50% of young adults (18–34) report not using alcohol for health and economic reasons, although some have replaced alcohol with cannabis products. At the same time, impairing substances are linked to nearly a third of the state’s crash fatalities.
So how do we as traffic safety professionals and organizational leaders navigate these conflicting realities? I wish I had the to answer. What I do know is that while there is no magic solution, we must remain stay true to our calling of reducing crashes, injuries and deaths by relentlessly using every tool available. Despite the challenges and occasional setbacks, we’re making progress!
Yours in traffic safety,
Lisa
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