Pedestrian deaths spike in Minnesota

Pedestrian deaths are sharply on the rise in Minnesota, the Star Tribune reports. There have been 23 pedestrian deaths already this year, the deadliest of the last five years. Last year there were only 14 deaths at this time, the newspaper reports.

Among the most recent victims is a 19-year-old Macalester College student from France, Cleo Thiberge.

A rise in pedestrian deaths in the state is part of a national trend, MinnPost recently reported, citing a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

Learn more about the overall picture in this Minnesota Department of Public Safety report with crash facts for 2011.