County sees loss of $25 million from car crashes

Car accidents are costly for a lot of reasons. They can claim lives and cause property damage. They can also result in financial loss. Manitowoc County, for instance, reports that it is facing the loss of $25 million in the first half of 2011 due to the number and severity of car accidents.

A report by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation indicates that the loss is because the city's economic impact on the county totaled more than $12 million with accidents at intersections and those not at intersections.

According to Htrnews.com, from the months of January through June, about 349 accidents occurred, injuring 150 people. Reports say injuries occurred in 102 accidents, and property damage occurred in 247 of them. Eight accidents involved animals including deer, seven occurred with pedestrians, five involved motorcycles and four involved bicycles. Ten accidents were due to alcohol consumption, which is higher than other county communities.

In addition, the state report suggests that between the times of noon and 6 p.m. is when most accidents occur, with the peak time of 3 p.m. Tuesdays was the most common day for accidents.

The enforcement rate of the Manitowoc Police Department during accidents was shown by the report at about 72 percent, which is the highest in the county. The Police Deputy Chief said he was happy to hear the percentage in the report because it proves officers are investigating accurately at the scene, Htrnews.com reports.

According to the Wisconsin DOT, more than $19 million was lost in the city of Manitowoc in 2010, while the county lost more than $55 million.

Source: Htrnews.com, "Traffic accidents cost county $25M," Dec. 2, 2011