GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – Wisconsin State Patrol’s July Law of the Month reminds drivers that when speed increases, dangers on the roads increase.
You’re probably not a racecar driver, and you’re not on a racetrack. The State Patrol is reminding drivers there’s no need for excessive speed on Wisconsin highways. Sergeant Clint Beck says speed-related crashes were up 10-percent across the state last year.
“The majority of all crashes, and a third of all deaths in Wisconsin are speed-related,” Beck told WTAQ News. “186 people died, 6,871 were hurt in 17,597 crashes involving speed. Those are pretty staggering numbers.”
Speeds topping out over 100mph have also been on the rise lately.
“Triple-digit speeds have increased since 2019. In 2020, 2021, and so far this year, we’ve been seeing more speeds at 100+ miles per hour,” Beck said. “It’s not worth the speed to get from Point A to Point B if you don’t get there…70 is 70. Not 80. Not 100. When it’s posted 55, it’s 55. And again, that’s for ideal weather conditions.”
Last year, more than 49,000 speeding tickets were issued. Heading into July, they had already given out 22,000 in 2022. A citation comes with hundreds of dollars in fines, in addition to demerit points on your license and increased insurance premiums.
“The faster you go, the less likely you are to react to an incident that is in front of you. So if you’re going above the speed limit [it makes it harder to react]. Which, the point of speed limits are for ideal travel conditions,” Beck said. “It’s not worth your life. If you’re going fast somewhere and end up not being able to stop in time, you’re not only hurting or harming or killing yourself – you could end up hurting or harming or killing someone else.”
Wisconsin will partner with other states in the Midwest to address speed concerns for Speed Awareness Day on July 27. Law enforcement agencies in the region will focus on reducing crashes, preventing injuries, and saving lives through proactive enforcement and public awareness.
