The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is calling on drivers and pedestrians to share the road and stay aware of their surroundings to protect all travelers this fall.
October is Pedestrian Safety Month, to help drivers recognize that pedestrians are our most vulnerable road users in a crash.
“We’ve lost too many friends, neighbors and loved ones to traffic crashes – many who are just out for a walk. These tragic incidents have a lasting impact on our communities. We need to do everything we can to protect people who face greater injury on the roads. Drivers: use caution. Pedestrians: pay attention to your surroundings. We must all share the road to stay safe,” WisDOT Secretary Craig Thompson said in a press release.
The number of pedestrians killed in crashes in Wisconsin rose 44% last year, from 50 deaths in 2021 to 72 in 2022. Preliminary data shows improvement in the number of pedestrian-involved crashes this year, but fatalities remain high. So far in 2023, 49 people were killed in 880 pedestrian-involved crashes.
WisDOT’s awareness campaigns, including Control Your Drive, Buckle Up Phone Down and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, run throughout the year to remind drivers that their most important task behind the wheel is to drive safely.
“Reckless, distracted and impaired driving cause way too many crashes in Wisconsin, and they’re the most preventable incidents if drivers take responsibility for safety on the roads. We hope that by sharing crash data and information about the dangers of these driving behaviors, people will realize it’s not worth the risk,” Bureau of Transportation Safety Director David Pabst said.
WisDOT asks drivers to consider the following safety recommendations:
- Put the phone down to avoid distractions
- Obey all posted signs and speed limits; driving a few miles per hour over the speed limit can be the difference between life and death for a pedestrian
- Do not block crosswalks when stopping at intersections
- Always drive sober
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Source: The Wisconsin Department of Transportation
