Preliminary numbers as of 04/4/2025.
Fatalities by winter season
There has been a total of 272 ice-related fatalities in Minnesota since January of 1976. The table below lists the number of fatalities by winter season (November through April), apart from the first season which is only January through April 1976 because we do not have data from 1975.
Deaths Per Season
Trend Line
Average number of deaths per winter season
Number of deaths per mode of travel
Snowmobile or ATV/UTV
Motor vehicle
On foot
Other
Snowmobile or ATV/UTV
Motor vehicle
On foot
Other
Fatalities by victim's age
Ice-related fatalities: January 1976 – April 2025 (by calendar year)
The table below includes key information about every ice-related fatality in Minnesota beginning in January 1976. Although it is commonly misunderstood, research shows that most through-the-ice fatalities are due to drowning – not hypothermia. Since 1976, there have been 269 ice-related fatalities, and only 5 have been a result of hypothermia (noted below under “accident type”).