Speeding a Big Concern on Wisconsin Roads
Wednesday, December 26th, 2018 -- 10:52 AM
(Marshfield News Herald) -If you drive the speed limit on Wisconsin’s busiest highways, here’s what you can expect: cars whizzing by, relentless tailgating and the occasional glare or obscene gesture from a fellow driver.Speeding is pervasive in Wisconsin, says David Pabst, director of the Bureau of Transportation Safety for the state Department of Transportation. In 2017, there were nearly 160,000 convictions for driving over the limit. And in the first six months of 2018, there were nearly 77,000 convictions. Bear in mind, those are only convictions. It’s a virtual given that many thousands who make a mockery of posted speed limits aren’t caught. Speeding isn’t the only problem on Wisconsin’s roadways. Unlicensed and insured drivers and drunken drivers are other areas of concern.
But there's positive news as well. Alcohol related fatalities are dropping. Fatalities stood at 132 in mid-December, which is on pace to fall well below the 169 fatalities in 2017. Pedestrian deaths and bicycle deaths are down. In 2017, 59 pedestrians were killed in Wisconsin. The 2018 total as of mid-December was 49. Bicycle fatalities were down by 28 over the past year, according to Pabst. More drivers are also buckling up.
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