590 People Died on Wisconsin's Roads in 2016. Find Out How Safe Motorists are in Early 2017

MILWAUKEE, WI — On December 19, a Milwaukee man lost his life in a tragic incident in which his vehicle lost control while driving over ice on Milwaukee's Hoan Bridge. The man who died was one of 590 people who lost their lives on Wisconsin's roads in 2016.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 34 people died in Wisconsin traffic crashes in February, which was 21 fewer than February 2016 and one more than the five-year average for the month of February.

Although spring doesn’t officially begin for a few more weeks, it won’t be long before more bicyclists, pedestrians, motorcyclists and scooter riders will be traveling on Wisconsin roads, according to David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety.

"Last year, 79 motorcycle operators, six motorcycle passengers, 51 pedestrians, and 11 bicyclists were killed in traffic crashes," Pabst says. "To prevent deaths and injuries, drivers must eliminate distractions and pay strict attention to the other roadway users around them. For their part, motorcyclists, pedestrians, bicyclists and scooter riders must obey traffic signals and be extremely cautious in traffic. We all must share the road safely."

So far this year, 70 people have been killed in crashes including seven pedestrians. Traffic fatalities at the end of February were 15 fewer than the same period last year (approximately an 18 percent decrease) and one more than the five-year average.

The safest month of February in terms of traffic deaths since the end of World War II occurred in 2014 with 21 fatalities. The deadliest February was in 1968 with 73 fatalities.

Fatal Traffic Accidents by County in 2016

1. Milwaukee 74
2. Dane 38
3. Waukesha 27
4. Rock 23
5. Walworth 23
6. Columbia 21
7. Kenosha 19
8. Brown 18
9. Racine 17
10. Outagamie 14
11. Dodge 12
12. Dunn 11
13. Vilas 11
14. Grant 11
15. Sauk 11
16. Sheboygan 10
17. Winnebago 10
18. Pierce 10
19. Washington 10
20. Clark 10
21. Eau Claire 10
22. Fond du Lac 10
23. Polk 10
24. Marathon 9
25. Monroe 9
26. Shawano 8
27. Juneau 8
28. St. Croix 7
29. Jefferson 7
30. Oconto 7
31. Ozaukee 7
32. Green 6
33. La Crosse 6
34. Taylor 6
35. Wood 6
36. Waupaca 5
37. Marinette 5
38. Oneida 5
39. Burnett 4
40. Door 4
41. Richland 4
42. Price 3
43. Crawford 3
44. Iron 3
45. Jackson 3
46. Manitowoc 3
47. Sawyer 3
48. Waushara 3
49. Forest 2
50. Calumet 2
51. Iowa 2
52. Portage 2
53. Douglas 2
54. Kewaunee 2
55. Lafayette 2
56. Langlade 2
57. Lincoln 2
58. Marquette 2
59. Chippewa 1
60. Green Lake 1
61. Pepin 1
62. Washburn 1
63. Florence 0
64. Trempealeau 0
65. Menominee 0