Drive Safe, Tow Safe: Wisconsin DNR, DOT teaming up to keep Wisconsinites safe during holiday weekend

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – With busy holiday travel starting, Wis-DOT and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources are teaming up to remind Wisconsinites how to stay safe on both the road and in the water this weekend.

Wis-DOT says travelers can expect heavy traffic on highways, with many vehicles hauling boats behind them.

Last year, over 8,500 crashes happened on Wisconsin roads from May through September. Many of those crashes were caused by distracted driving and speed.

The DNR is asking boaters to double check all their safety gear on board, including a life vest for each person on the boat.

The DNR is also sharing that there will be a lot of boat traffic this weekend.

“Our waterways are meant for all Wisconsinites and visitors to our state, so it’s really important that we share it with each other,” Wisconsin DNR Lieutenant John Sinclair said. “We’re respectful of other people on the water, we’re mindful of the wake we’re creating and we’re watching out for everybody else that’s on the landscape or on the water.”

The DNR is also asking that people check their boats and trailers for aquatic hitchhikers when they are done in the water.

That removal helps protect state waters from invasive species.

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