Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe MINNEAPOLIS, April 6 (UPI) -- A Minnesota state trooper who was struck by vehicles while working three times in less than two years said the incidents highlight the need for road safety. Trooper Brian Bammert said his cruiser was struck Saturday with him inside during a traffic stop on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis, marking the third time he or his vehicle have been hit while working since 2009, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported Wednesday. Advertisement Bammert said most crashes involving police officers or their stopped vehicles are caused by drivers speeding or not paying close attention to the road. "It's the same three things that we keep telling people," Bammert said. "Keep an eye on your speed, pay attention to what's going on in front of you, and you can reduce injuries by wearing your seat belt. Three very simple things, but sometimes they can get lost in the shuffle." The Department of Public Safety said 36 Minnesota state troopers or their vehicles have been struck by cars during the past five months, a dramatic increase over the 14 incidents during the same period a year earlier.
