The start of a new year has not shown an improvement to the rash of traffic deaths in Wisconsin since the start of the COVID pandemic.
Preliminary state data shows that as of Feb. 20, 65 people had died in crashes, compared to 54 deaths at the same time in 2021.
Last year’s total of 601 traffic deaths was tied for the state’s highest yearly death toll in 14 years.
Wisconsin Public Radio reports that the issue of reckless driving has gotten the most attention in Milwaukee, which saw a dramatic increase in deaths in 2020 and a high total in 2021.
Experts say serious injury crashes and collisions with pedestrians are also up in some places.
