May Was Safest for Traffic Deaths Since World War II

With 46 fatalities in 43 Wisconsin traffic crashes, last month was the safest month of May in terms of traffic deaths since World War II, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT). The deadliest May was in 1968 with 123 fatalities. Traffic fatalities last month also were four fewer than May 2011 and nine fewer than the five-year average for the month of May.

Six people died in traffic crashes during the Memorial Day weekend. Last year, seven people died during the holiday weekend.

As of May 31, a total of 203 people have died in 179 Wisconsin traffic crashes in 2012, including 22 motorcycle drivers, three motorcycle passengers, 13 pedestrians and one bicyclist. Traffic deaths through May were 25 more than during the same period in 2011 but four fewer than the five-year average.

“Although traffic fatalities moderated in May, we are concerned about an approximately 14 percent increase in deaths on Wisconsin roads so far this year,” says State Patrol Major Sandra Huxtable, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety. “To save lives and reduce injuries, WisDOT is launching a comprehensive array of statewide improvements in traffic safety enforcement, education and engineering to help Wisconsin achieve a ‘Summer of Safety.’ For example, local law enforcement agencies and the State Patrol will intensify their efforts to deter speeding, distracted driving, and drunken driving as well as increase safety belt use. WisDOT also is moving forward quickly with roadway safety improvements in highway corridors where data show that crashes are more likely to occur. The heavily traveled summer months typically are the deadliest months on Wisconsin roads. We are striving to reverse that tragic trend.”