With 54 traffic fatalities, May was the deadliest month on Wisconsin roads so far this year, according to preliminary statistics from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT).

Traffic fatalities last month were six more than May 2014 and five more than the five-year average for the month of May. The deadliest month of May occurred in 1968 with 123 fatalities, and the safest was in 2013 with 32 fatalities.

As of May 31, a total of 207 people have died in Wisconsin traffic crashes this year, including 20 motorcycle operators, two motorcycle passengers, 20 pedestrians, and two bicyclists.  Traffic deaths through May were 48 more than the same period last year and 26 more than the five-year average.

“The motorcycle riding season will be in full swing in coming weeks,” says David Pabst, director of the WisDOT Bureau of Transportation Safety. “To prevent crashes, drivers must share the road and watch for motorcycles especially at intersections and while making turns or lane changes. Drivers frequently misjudge the speed and distance of an approaching motorcycle because of its smaller dimensions. They need to check the position of a motorcycle two or three times before they proceed through an intersection or make a turn. For their part, motorcyclists must obey speed limits and other traffic laws. They should never ride while impaired.  They should always wear protective and conspicuous clothing and gear, including a helmet that meets or exceeds US DOT standards.”