Wisconsin law enforcement agencies join together to stop speeding with special enforcement Wednesday

Wausau Pilot & Review

About 100 law enforcement agencies, including the Wisconsin State Patrol, will join states across the Midwest to step up patrols for Speed Awareness Day on Wednesday, July 31.

The campaign is a 24-hour, high-visibility enforcement effort involving state, county and local law enforcement agencies. The Wisconsin State Patrol will have all available officers working statewide to stop drivers who are endangering safety on the roads.

The goal of Speed Awareness Day is to educate the community on the dangers of speeding and save lives. Traffic crashes are more harmful when they involve high speeds. In 2023, someone in Wisconsin was injured or killed in a speed-related crash every 1.3 hours. There were 16,401 speed-related crashes that resulted in 176 fatalities and more than 6,500 people were injured.

Speeding is a continued challenge across the nation and in Wisconsin. The number of 100+ mph citations issued by State Patrol rose sharply during the pandemic, from 583 citations in 2019 to 1,403 citations in 2020. These numbers have remained high over the past four years, with 1,266 citations in 2023.

Speeding is more than just breaking the law. The consequences include:

· Greater potential for loss of vehicle control

· Reduced seat belt effectiveness

· Increased stopping distance

· Increased risk of severe injuries

· Increased fuel consumption

Speeding is considered a form of reckless driving. Learn more about the challenges of reckless driving and the efforts to stop it in the Wisconsin State Patrol’s July Law of the Month.

Find more data on speed-related crashes in Wisconsin here.