There have been more traffic fatalities across the state this year compared to last, but October was a relatively safe month on Wisconsin roadways.
Preliminary figures from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation show 44 people died in traffic crashes around the state last month, making it the third safest month of October in terms of traffic deaths since 1945.
Through the first 10 months of this year, a total of 471 people have died in Wisconsin traffic crashes, including 79 people on motorcycles, 48 pedestrians and 13 bicyclists. Traffic deaths through October were 65 more than the same period in 2014 and six more than the five-year average.
Pat Curtis