In the week of April 28, four adjacent counties saw fatal traffic accidents in the span of four days. Pierce, St. Croix and Polk counties, along with Washington County, Minn., each had fatal crashes between Tuesday, April 29 and Friday May 2. 

Additionally, there have been numerous non-fatal crashes in the area in recent weeks. Pierce County Sheriff Chad Koranda and Pierce County Highway Commissioner Chad Johnson both serve on the Pierce County Traffic Safety Commission (TSC). Johnson is the chair of the TSC, which has public meetings quarterly. 

“We go over each fatal crash from Pierce County in detail,” Johnson said. “Our liaison, Trace Frost, goes through the crash report with the Sheriff’s Department and the other members, and we will look at the site map and crash diagram.” 

Seatbelt use and alcohol or drug use, if known, are discussed. Additionally, roadway signing is often examined at crash sites. 

“If we see an opportunity to supplement or improve signing, we have two knowledgeable sign staff that will coordinate with the DOT and make sure the signing meets standards, regardless if it is on the state, county or town road system,” said Johnson.

Frost, who is retired from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office, works with 16 counties throughout the state and has been the DOT liaison for Pierce County since 2017. When asked about statewide traffic trends, he said “unfortunately, fatalities are higher than they were last year at this same time. 

“Excessive speed is a trend throughout the state,” Frost said.

On the impact of reviewing each fatal crash with his TSCs, Frost reflected that “often members of the Commission knew those involved in the crash or had been responders to the crash. This can bring up emotions, but it is necessary to understand what happened and try to prevent future crashes.”

“Every serious car crash we respond to leaves a lasting impact, especially those that could have been prevented by following simple safety measures,” added Koranda. “Our primary goal is to ensure that everyone travels safely and reaches their destination without incident. To this end, you will see our deputies conducting traffic stops and, when necessary, issuing citations.”  Additional resources are being allocated to Pierce County to enhance this effort. 

“We are pleased to announce a strengthened partnership with the Wisconsin State Patrol. “We will have an additional trooper and inspector dedicated to our area,” Koranda said.

The members of the TSC offered these tips to stay safe this summer:

• Adhere to the posted speed limits, which are set for dry conditions. Vehicles are designed to operate safely within these limits.
• Buckling your seatbelt is a simple action that takes seconds but has a profound impact.
• Driving under the influence severely impairs your ability to operate a vehicle safely.
• With the warmer weather, be extra vigilant in watching for and sharing the road with motorcycles.
• Drive defensively by observing the behavior of other vehicles. If they are approaching intersections too fast, they may not be preparing to stop. Have a plan to avoid a crash.

Submitted by Pierce County Traffic Safety Commission