January 2012 set somewhat of a record for Wisconsin drivers, but not one worthy of celebration. According to statistics published on February 2, 2012, by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the number of fatalities caused by traffic crashes on Wisconsin roads in January of 2012 surpassed the death count of the previous three Januarys.
January saw 38 crashes, which resulted in the deaths of 42 people. This number is three more than January 2011, twenty-two more than January 2010, and seven more than January 2009. January 2010 holds the record for lowest ever January fatality count, while 1964 experienced the deadliest January in Wisconsin history with 82 deaths caused by road crashes.
Thirty-three drivers, seven passengers, and two pedestrians comprised this January’s high fatality count.
State Patrol Major Sandra Huxtable provided some good news, saying in a news release that Wisconsin has experienced four straight years with fewer than 600 annual traffic deaths. This has only been the case one other time since the 1920s. In her statement, Huxtable emphasizes the ongoing effort to see a consistent decline in deaths caused by crashes on Wisconsin roads.
The Department of Transportation publishes monthly numbers on traffic fatalities, and show that the safest months to drive on Wisconsin highways are February and March; August is, statistically, the most deadly month for Wisconsin motorists.
The car accident attorneys at Hupy and Abraham extend their condolences to the families of those lost in January traffic accidents. We urge Wisconsin motorists to focus on safety in the coming months; let’s see a decline in traffic deaths and injuries throughout the remainder of 2012.