Thanksgiving Travel

November 23, 2021
Elise Schaffer, PIO, (608) 284-6142
Sheriff's Office

AAA Wisconsin expects 48.3 million Americans will take to the road this holiday. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind motorists to plan ahead and be patient behind the wheel.

In addition to holiday travelers, deer hunters and Black Friday shoppers will be contributing to busy roads. The pandemic resulted in less people traveling the last two years, and drivers may be out of practice when it comes to holiday road congestion. Allow yourself extra time to reach your destination, give driving your full attention and wear your seatbelt. As always, when celebrating with alcohol, designate a sober driver, use public transportation, or simply stay where you are. 

The Sheriff’s Office will have additional deputies on patrol Saturday night as part of a Wisconsin Department of Transportation OWI enforcement grant.

Thus far, in 2021, 44 people have died in traffic crashes in Dane County. In 2020, there was a total of 33 traffic fatalities and 25 fatalities in 2019. This is a trend we do not want to continue. By obeying traffic laws, we can all help make certain that family and friends gather to celebrate the holiday.