La Crosse County has most hwy. deaths in six years

Five of the 10 have come since July 1 

For the first time in six years, La Crosse County has recorded at least 10 traffic deaths in a single calendar year.

Five of those deaths have come since July 1, including two fatal accidents last week that brought the county’s highway death toll to 10.

Last year, the county had just six deaths.

Only eight other counties in Wisconsin have reported 10 traffic deaths or more so far this year.

“I don’t know what it is,” La Crosse County Sheriff’s deputy Jeff Wolf said, “if it’s the nice weather, the increase traffic or what’s contributing to it.”

In 2011, there were 17 traffic deaths in the county.

Chief Deputy Jeff Wolf says a lack of seat belt use and distracted driving appear to have been factors in many of this year’s deadly crashes.

Wolf added that seat belt usage has gone down in Wisconsin recently, but the people killed in local crashes this month were wearing belts at the time.

Wolf expects to see more seat belt enforcement efforts around the Labor Day holiday.