Dept. of Transportation: Wisconsin State Patrol to partner with Wisconsin Motor Carriers Association for safe driving enforcement campaign

For more information, contact:

WisDOT Office of Public Affairs

608-266-3581, opa.exec@dot.wi.gov

Wisconsin State Patrol officers will keep an eye on motorists from a new vantage point this week, as they team up with semi-truck drivers to keep Wisconsin highways safe.

Officers across the state will join truck drivers in their cabs during the Trooper in a Truck campaign. It’s part of Operation Safe Driver Week, an awareness and enforcement initiative aimed at improving driving behaviors of passenger vehicle and commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. 

Troopers will keep an eye out for issues like distracted driving, seat belt violations and following too closely. Once an officer spots a violation from the truck cab, they will radio to patrol cars in the area for appropriate enforcement action.

State Patrol officers and Wisconsin Motor Carrier Association experts will be available for interviews each day before the Trooper in a Truck enforcement begins.

Interviews will only be available between 7:30 – 8 a.m. on the scheduled dates. Members of the media will not be allowed in the truck cabs during the enforcement.

Please RSVP to opa.exec@dot.wi.gov if planning to attend the following events:

Tuesday, July 12 – State Patrol Eau Claire Post

5005 U.S. Highway 53

Eau Claire, WI 54701
Day-of contact: Sgt. Josh Mauer, 715-839-3800

Wednesday, July 13 – State Patrol DeForest Post

911 W. North Street

DeForest, WI 53532
Day-of contact: Sgt. Ryan Zukowski, 608-846-8500

Thursday, July 14 – WisDOT Northeast Region Office

944 Vanderperren Way

Green Bay, WI 54304
Day-of contact: Sgt. Clint Beck, 920-929-3700

Friday, July 15 – State Patrol Wausau Post

227301 Shrike Avenue

Wausau, WI 54401
Day-of contact: Sgt. Luke Turner, 715-845-1143

Since 2017, Wisconsin has averaged about 7,000 crashes involving large trucks every year. 94 people died in those incidents in 2021.

State Patrol troopers and inspectors work regularly to enforce traffic laws to reduce crashes involving CMVs, including enforcement details in areas with safety challenges. In 2021, nearly 15,000 CMV operators were stopped for traffic violations and roughly 9,700 other drivers were pulled over for violations impacting safe CMV operation.