(File photo: KFIZ)
The state Department of Transportation says 50 people were killed in traffic crashes last month on Wisconsin roads, including eight over the Memorial Day weekend. The number is seven fewer than the same month in 2015, and tied for the sixth safest May on record for the state since World War II.
Through the end of May, 217 people have been killed in traffic crashes in Wisconsin this year, including 17 pedestrians, four bicyclists, and 14 motorcycles operators or passengers. That’s ten more fatalities than during the same period last year, and 34 more than the five year average.
WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety director David Pabst noted the state is now entering the busy summer travel season, which typically mark the deadliest months of the year. “To prevent serious injury and fatal crashes, we need everyone to slow down, buckle up, eliminate distractions and drive sober. Our goal is zero deaths on Wisconsin roads this summer and throughout the year,” Pabst said.