Wisconsin sees increased traffic deaths

September traffic deaths in Wisconsin were up by 17 over a year ago, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

Last month, 63 people died in traffic crashes. That was seven more deaths than the five-year average for the month of September, according to preliminary statistics from WDOT.

As of Sept. 30, a total of 424 people had died in Wisconsin traffic crashes this year, including 68 motorcycle operators, two motorcycle passengers, 40 pedestrians and 13 bicyclists.

Traffic deaths through September were 60 more than the same period in 2014 and 11 more than the five-year average.

“Traffic fatalities so far this year are up by more than 16 percent over last year, however last year Wisconsin had the lowest number of traffic fatalities since 1943,” said David Pabst, of WDOT.

“This year, we’ve experienced a significant increase in traffic fatalities involving pedestrians and bicyclists. Forty pedestrians have died in crashes this year, compared with 29 at the same time last year, and 13 bicyclists have died, compared with three in the same period in 2014.”