With a total of 47 fatalities in 44 traffic crashes, last month was the safest month of May in terms of traffic deaths in
Traffic fatalities in May were 16 fewer than in May 2007 when 63 people died in 54 crashes and 18 fewer than the five-year average of 65 deaths in 60 crashes during the month of May.
Included in the May total for this year were 10 fatalities during the Memorial Day holiday period from 6 p.m. on Friday, May 23, to midnight on Monday, May 26. Last year, four people died in crashes during the Memorial Day weekend.
As of May 31, a total of 199 people have died in 186
“Traffic fatalities have dropped nearly 30 percent so far this year compared to last year,” says Dennis Hughes, chief of safety programs for the Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety. “Certainly, high fuel prices, which tend to decrease vehicle speeds and traffic volumes, have been factors in this reduction. However, effective law enforcement and traffic safety education efforts also are contributing significantly to this decline in deaths. For instance, we just concluded the Click It or Ticket safety belt enforcement mobilization with more than 350 participating law enforcement agencies backed by a public education campaign. Effective enforcement and education help motivate motorists to make better decisions. And it’s no secret that hundreds of lives can be saved if motorists slow down, buckle up, reduce distractions, and drive sober.”
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