Notes from the West Wing
By
State Representative Garey Bies
Highway Safety
With the winter season upon us, I thought I would use this week’s Notes
from the West Wing to talk about the issue of Highway Safety and winter
driving. After thirty years in the Door County Sheriff’s Department
and now serving as Vice-Chair of the Assembly Highway Safety Committee as well
as a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Highway Safety, safety on our
county’s and state’s highways is a significant issue for me. With the rate of traffic fatalities in 2003 on pace to set a
22-year high, the issue of highway safety is receiving much attention.
On November 26th,
Assembly Speaker John Gard (R-Peshtigo) charged the Assembly Highway Safety
Committee with developing a comprehensive strategy for improving Wisconsin
highway safety. The issues Speaker
Gard has tasked the Committee to review include: youth and senior driving,
inattentive driving, impaired driving, speed, road design, traffic law
enforcement, and child passenger safety. As
Vice-Chair of the Highway Safety Committee, I look forward to working with the
Committee on this project.
While the Assembly looks at the
subject of highway safety this winter, we, as residents of Wisconsin must also
look to our own safety on the highways. The
winter driving season in Wisconsin means snow and icy roads.
With tighter county budgets this winter, counties will have to be more
efficient with plowing schedules. This
unfortunately may lead to some lesser-traveled roads being plowed less often.
The state has also indicated that it has cut its budget allotted for
plowing state highways further reducing the time the plow trucks will be out
this winter.
To govern the plowing of roadways,
the State Department of Transportation has established plowing guidelines that
will be utilized by both state and county plow crews. The guidelines prioritize highways into 5 categories.
High volume two-lane highways are considered category 4 and will receive
emphasis on plowing and what DOT considers “sensible salting” on all lanes
and ramps. Also receiving this
attention will be high volume multi-lane highways that are considered category
2.
What we, as drivers need to
remember this winter, is while the significant highways we travel are not likely
to experience much change in plowing, the smaller, back roads will not receive
as much attention as in the past. Immediately
after a snowstorm, we cannot expect to be able to travel posted speed limits.
We need to be alert to weather and roadway conditions.
We must plan ahead, take a little extra time to reach our destinations,
and reduce our speed. Be especially
wary in the morning, when fog has the potential to condense on the roadway and
form black ice, an extremely treacherous hazard to the motorist.
If you must venture out into a storm or at night, be sure to let someone
know you are headed out and when they can expect you to arrive at your
destination. Travel only at a speed
with which you are comfortable. Do not let an impatient driver behind you force you to drive
faster than you want to. If
necessary, pull over in a well-lit area to let cars pass safely.
Also for the winter season,
consider compiling a winter survival kit in the event you do get stranded.
An old duffel bag works well to hold essentials like a spare, brightly
colored blanket, extra socks, gloves, scarf and cap.
Also consider including a candle, pocketknife, and simple non-perishable
food such as soup packets or granola bars.
A flashlight with extra batteries, matches and a first aid kit would be
wise additions as well.
Lets be sensible out on the roads
this winter. The holiday season is
upon us and it should be a joyous time spent with family and friends.
Make sure you take care out on the winter roads so that you can spend
this time with those you love.
As always, I appreciate feedback. If you would like to contact me on this, or any other issue of interest, please feel free to contact me. I can be reached by e-mail at Rep.Bies@legis.state.wi.us or by telephone, toll-free at 1-888-482-0001.