Area law enforcement agencies will mobilize for Summer Heat traffic enforcement program on I-94

May 1, 2008

To combat speeding, aggressive driving and other dangerous actions that cause deadly crashes, the Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department, Dunn County Sheriff's Department, St. Croix County Sheriff's Department, Hudson Police Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol will intensify their traffic enforcement efforts on I-94 during the Summer Heat mobilization beginning today (May 1) to Sept. 30.

Speed-related crashes in Wisconsin kill or injure someone every 51 minutes. Speeding is not only deadly; it's all too prevalent. In 2007, there were nearly one-quarter million speeding convictions in Wisconsin, including more than 145,000 for 11 to 19 mph over the posted limit, according to Wisconsin Department of Transportation statistics.

"With saturation patrols for high visibility enforcement on I-94, we are striving to get drivers to comply voluntarily with traffic laws to reduce crashes that cause deaths and serious injuries," says Dennis Hughes, chief of safety programs for the State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety. "However, if voluntary compliance fails, officers who will be patrolling in greater numbers and for longer hours on I-94 will be prepared to ticket speeders and other violators."

The Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety will provide a total of $88,000 in federal funding for the Summer Heat I-94 mobilization. Agencies may use the funds to pay for officers' overtime and other traffic enforcement expenses.

For more information, contact:
Dennis Hughes, State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety
608-267-9075, dennis.hughes@dot.state.wi.us