Don’t say you weren’t warned about it, but if you get a speeding ticket tomorrow, you’re likely in plenty of company. Wednesday, July 26th is Speed Enforcement Day, and about 100 law enforcement agencies, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, will join officers from 11 Midwest states to step up patrols on the highways. The goal isn’t so much to catch as many speeders as possible as it is to educate the public on the dangers of speeding and to save lives. That being said, the Wisconsin State Patrol will have all available officers working statewide to stop drivers who are endangering safety on the roads.
According to the Wisconsin DOT, speeding remains a continuing challenge both in the state and across the nation. The number of citations issued by the State Patrol for speeds of 100 miles an hour and over rose sharply during the pandemic, from 583 in 2019 to 1,403 citations in 2020, and last year State Patrol officers issued 1,159 such citations. Aside from those tickets, speeding last year alone was a factor in 162 deaths and 6,500 injuries in Wisconsin.
Calling speeding a form of reckless driving, the Patrol says that besides breaking the law, speeders are at a greater potential to lose control of the vehicle; seatbelts are less effective at high speeds; stopping distance increases as does the risk of severe injuries, while fuel efficiency goes down.
It’s hoped that through awareness, Wednesday’s campaign will reduce the harm and improve safety on the roads. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you.
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