Speed Traps & Driving Tips for Wisconsin

If you are renting a car in Wisconsin, driving through the state, or any city without our boundaries is your driving destination here are a few things you should know about our roadways:

1) Hidden police are allowed here. Don't assume that you are clear if you can't see them as they frequently and usually hide; mall parking lots, on bridge overpasses, behind bridge supports, in driveways, and any public parking lot.

2) Speed traps are common, especially at the end of the month.

Common locations:

*Rosendale - On hwy 26 - between Hwy 41 and 151 (route from Green Bay to Madison). Do not exceed 25 mph even by 2mph or you WILL be stopped. This location rates as one of the highest speed traps in the USA.

*Hwy 41 North - Between Green Bay and Appleton. It is typical to see 4-8 cars stopped at once in a 1 mile stretch along this route.

*Hwy 43 between Sheboygan and the Milwaukee approach.

*Hwy 43 between Racine and Kenosha.

3) The use of photo cameras at stoplights is becoming common, but they cannot issue tickets from these cameras and what they see.

4) The use of aircraft to clock speeders is sometimes used in summer.

5) Seatbelts are required and now a law passed that allows them to pull drivers over for no other reason than a lack of seatbelt or perceived lack of seatbelt.

6) Drivers license and proof of insurance and/or financial responsibility are required in the vehicle.

7) Hwy drivers must pull into the left lane and slow down when an officer is stopped on the right shoulder. Heavy fines imposed if you do not move over.

8) Sobriety check points are not legal in the state but you may be pulled over if they "believe" you are not wearing a seatbelt and test you for intoxication.

9) Though no minimum speed is posted anywhere, you may be pulled over and ticketed for going too slow.

10) At no time does our state exceed speed limits of 65 mph.

11) In winter you may be stopped and ticketed for driving too fast for conditions even while going under the speed limit. This is always subjective on the part of the ticket-writing officer. This is most likely to occur in the event of an accident or if you live out of state.

12) Finally, because of the faultering economy in the state, a recent news article this week states that Hwy Patrol was ordered to cut 20% of miles off patrolling routes. Their response; we will no longer stop and help non-emergency motorists and will concentrate efforts on catching speeders.

13) The state usually gives police extra grants to fund holiday increased patrols. Don't speed more than 5 over during long weekends here.

**For example, on Labor Day Monday I took at Drive to Port Washington, which is about 85 miles from Green Bay. I took this road the whole way. I count 47 police vehicles patrolling this stretch alone and that does NOT count the ones within each of the cities, only counting the ones on the highway!

14) Unmarked police cars are the most common for catching speeders on highways, as are the police on top of overpasses.

Moral of the story....... drive within the legal limits, drive responsibly, and don't let distractions cost you precious vacation dollars.