Release Date: February 22, 2023
Prepared By: Lt. Dustin Fehrmann
Details: 2022 Dane County Traffic Crash Data - Traffic Crashes Down, Crash Fatalities Up
Forty-four (44) people lost their lives in 1,770 Dane County injury-related motor vehicle crashes last year, according to preliminary data from the Traffic Safety Commission, which reviews county crash data reported by police departments and the WI State Patrol. The number of crash fatalities in 2022 increased 24% from the previous five-year average, even while the total number of all injury-related crashes was 22% lower. In 2022, there were 8,914 reported motor vehicle crashes in Dane County, of which 20% involved injuries or deaths.
The 48-member Dane County Traffic Safety Commission conducts crash reviews quarterly. In the fourth quarter of 2022 (October – December), there were 13 fatal crashes. Four fatal crashes occurred in the City of Madison, and the others occurred in the City of Verona, Village of Maple Bluff, and Towns of Sun Prairie, Burke, Roxbury, Deerfield, Rutland, Dunn and Dunkirk.
The Verona Police Department takes traffic safety very seriously. One of the ways we attempt to maintain safe roadways in our community is to enforce traffic violations. Yesterday, February 21, 2023, officers conducted speed enforcement on US Highways 18/151 between the Locust Drive and CTH M overpasses. Between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., officers stopped twelve (12) vehicles for traveling 80 MPH or greater on the posted 65 MPH highway. Speed is a common contributing factor in motor vehicle collisions, so we are hopeful the drivers we educated yesterday morning will comply with roadway speed limits in the future.
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