State may end year with 21 percent decrease in traffic deaths

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At the current pace, Wisconsin will end the year with a 21 percent decrease in traffic deaths.

And while many credit high gas prices, Dennis Hughes of the state Department of Transportation refuses to give full credit to that. He says there’s no way traffic is down 20 percent.

He does admit the $4 gas we were buying this summer made us slow down and be smarter about our trips.

As of Thursday, 577 people died in Wisconsin crashes this year, down 154 from 2007.

The Badger State is on pace to finish with about 600 deaths for 2008, the fewest since 633 people were killed in 1945, during the days of gas rationing as World War II was ending.

Hughes says there’s less evidence of excessive speeding on the roadways, with fewer “jack-rabbits” weaving in-and-out of traffic at up to 20 miles above the speed limit.

Tougher drunken-driving laws are credited as well, and not just here.

The National Safety Council says 46 states will reduce their traffic death tolls in 2008.

Tags: wisconsin news, traffic, deaths, lower