ROAD SAFETY ANAYLSIS
Wisconsin Road Safety Analysis
Behavioral Insights Powered by StreetVision
The following road safety report evaluates road risk events in Wisconsin from January 2026 through March 2026. It examines phone distraction rates, intersection-level hard braking activity, and corridor-level speeding patterns to determine where risk is most concentrated.
The report leverages insights from CMT’s StreetVision, an AI-powered behavioral analytics platform that provides decision-ready insights into roadway risk before crashes occur. Transportation officials use StreetVision to identify hotspots, prioritize high-impact safety interventions, and evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures.
Here is a snapshot of our findings — covering distraction benchmarking, county-level concentration analysis, high-risk intersection identification, and corridor speeding patterns.
01 PHONE DISTRACTION
Monthly distraction rates: A comparison to the national benchmark
In January 2026, drivers in Wisconsin recorded 18.61 phone tapping events per 100 miles driven, compared to the national average of 23.55, placing the state 21% below the US benchmark.
In February, the rate was 19.28, a 3.6% increase from the prior month, and 19.9% below the national average.
By March, phone tapping decreased to 19.13 events per 100 miles, marking a 0.78% decrease from February. It was 19.5% lower than the US average.
phone tapping events per 100 miles
02 COUNTY ANALYSIS
County-level insights reveal concentrated rates of distracted driving
Across the three-month period, Wisconsin averaged 23.8 phone-tapping events per 100 miles, though county-level data shows wide variation around that benchmark.
The most distracted counties, led by Milwaukee, Ashland, and Rusk, recorded distraction rates roughly 18% to more than 40% above the state average, highlighting concentrated pockets of elevated risk.
In contrast, the least distracted counties, led by Marquette, Lincoln, and Jackson, reported rates about 16% to 23% below the statewide average, underscoring a clear regional divide in driver behavior.
phone tapping events per 100 miles
Highest Distraction
Milwaukee County
25.3
+40.56%Ashland County
22.7
+26.11%Rusk County
26.7
+18.33%Racine County
21
+16.67%Kenosha County
20.9
+16.11%Lowest Distraction
Jackson County
13.8
-23.33%Lincoln County
15
-16.67%Marquette County
15
-16.67%Columbia County
15.6
-13.33%Trempealeau County
15.6
-13.33%
03 HARD BRAKING
High risk intersections: Where hard braking signals elevated crash risk
Intersections account for roughly 25% of all US traffic deaths and 50% of all traffic injuries, despite representing a small share of roadway mileage. Hard braking often signals near-miss events, making it a leading indicator of elevated crash risk.
An analysis of Milwaukee County intersections found West Brown Deer Road & North 116th Street to be a high-risk hotspot, with 582 hard braking events per 100 miles driven.
highest risk
West Brown Deer Road & North 116th Street
582
hard braking events / 100 mi
other high risk intersections in Wisconsin
Hard Braking Events per 100 miles
Locations with persistently high hard braking activity are widely recognized as candidates for proactive intervention — where targeted engineering improvements, enforcement visibility, or behavioral countermeasures may reduce crash risk before crashes occur.
04 SPEEDING PATTERNS
When & Where Speeding Risk Peaks
Speeding behavior in Milwaukee follows identifiable time-of-day and corridor-level patterns, creating predictable windows of elevated risk.
On I-41 near the Milwaukee Mitchell Int’l Airport (55 mph), speeding peaks on Mondays at 6:00 a.m., when 31.7% of driving time exceeds 10 mph over the limit.
These patterns provide actionable intelligence for speed studies, high-visibility enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and resource allocation decisions.
CORRIDOR ANALYSIS
I-41
Posted speed limit: 55 mph
Mondays: 6:00 a.m.
31.7%
of driving time exceeds the posted speed limit
Wednesdays: 6:00 a.m.
28.9%
of driving time exceeds the posted speed limit
These patterns provide actionable intelligence for speed studies, high-visibility enforcement, public awareness campaigns, and resource allocation decisions.
05 SCHOOL ZONES
How fast are drivers going in school zones?
We analyzed speed distribution in the school zone at Madison Elementary School on S 104th St in Milwaukee, WI, focusing on weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Our analysis found that 16% of drivers exceed the speed limit during active school zone hours.
Understanding how frequently speeding occurs during school hours helps traffic engineers determine whether stronger safety measures are needed to better protect vulnerable road users.
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