DOT Releases Wisconsin Traffic Fatality Statistics for July - Deadliest Month in 2016

WISCONSIN -- 60 people were killed in traffic crashes in Wisconsin, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, making July the deadliest month on Wisconsin roads so far this year.

Traffic fatalities last month were 21 more than July 2015 and six more than the five-year average for the month of July.

Although traffic deaths last month were higher than the three previous years, it still was the eighth safest month of July in terms of traffic deaths since the end of World War II. Wisconsin’s safest month of July was in 2015 with 39 fatalities. The deadliest months of July occurred in 1966 and 1971 with 140 fatalities.

As of July 31, a total of 338 people have died in Wisconsin traffic crashes in 2016, including 42 motorcycle operators, four motorcycle passengers, 24 pedestrians and nine bicyclists. Traffic deaths through July were 48 more than during the same period in 2015 and 48 more than the five-year average.

Drunken driving continues to kill and injure people at an alarming rate, according to David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety.

"To save lives and prevent injuries, law enforcement agencies throughout Wisconsin will be out in force to combat drunken driving during the annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign from August 19 to September 5," Pabst says.

Be Safe on the Roads

Here is a list of safety tips from the American Red Cross when it comes to Highway travel:

• Buckle up, slow down, don’t drive impaired.
• Be well rested and alert.
• Use caution in work zones.
• Give your full attention to the road. Avoid distractions such as cell phones.
• Observe speed limits – driving too fast or too slow can increase your chance of being in a collision.
• Make frequent stops. During long trips, rotate drivers. If you’re too tired to drive, stop and get some rest.
• Be respectful of other motorists and follow the rules of the road.
• Don’t follow another vehicle too closely.
• If you plan on drinking, designate a driver who won’t drink.
• Clean your headlights, taillights, signal lights and windows to help you see, especially at night.
• Turn your headlights on as dusk approaches, or if you are using your windshield wipers due to inclement weather.
• Don’t overdrive your headlights.
• If you have car trouble, pull off the road as far as possible.

"Tragically, drunken driving is still prevalent and deadly in Wisconsin. It also is entirely preventable. Last year in Wisconsin, 190 people were killed and nearly 2,900 were injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes."