Officials: Traffic Deaths Down In May

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. -- The state's roads continued to get safer in May.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, last month was the safest May on Wisconsin roadways since World War II.

There were 47 vehicle fatalities in 44 crashes, which is down from last year's 63 deaths and the five-year average of 65 deaths.

As of the end of May, 199 people have died in 186 traffic crashes in Wisconsin this year. That includes 15 motorcycle drivers, 17 pedestrians and one bicyclist.

The higher fuel prices make drivers less likely to drive -- and if they do -- to drive at slower speeds, according to Dennis Hughes, chief of safety programs for the Wisconsin State Patrol Bureau of Transportation Safety. He said that law enforcement contributes to the decline also.