(STATEWIDE) State transportation leaders say preventable driving mistakes — especially wrong-way driving — continue to put Wisconsin drivers at risk, and they’re rolling out new safety measures to curb the problem.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says more than 700 wrong-way drivers have been reported so far this year, with over 250 confirmed by detection systems. Officials say impairment, distractions and simple confusion remain some of the biggest factors behind these dangerous crashes.
WisDOT Secretary Kristina Boardman says the agency is expanding its approach by improving signage, adding larger “Wrong Way” and “Do Not Enter” signs, and installing reflective post strips at freeway ramps. Ten more wrong-way alert systems will be added by the end of 2025, bringing the statewide total to 30.
The state’s Traffic Management Center will continue monitoring highways around the clock, coordinating with law enforcement and using electronic message boards to warn drivers when a wrong-way vehicle is detected.
Officials are urging drivers to stay alert, put the phone down, follow highway signs and always drive sober. And if you ever realize you’re traveling the wrong way, WisDOT says the safest move is to stop immediately, pull over with your hazards on and turn around only when it’s safe.
More information on Wisconsin’s wrong-way driving prevention efforts is available HERE.
-Photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website
