Highway deaths rise in several western Wisconsin counties in 2024; La Crosse County has its highest death total since 2021

La Crosse County had its highest traffic death toll in three years, during 2024.

Eight people died in highway crashes around the county last year, compared to five deaths in 2023. The eight fatalities matched La Crosse County’s total for 2021. So far, the county has had no fatal crashes this year.

According to county leaders, there were nearly 3500 vehicle accidents in La Crosse County during 2024, which was a 5 per cent increase from the previous year. They report that impaired driving contribted to 43 per cent of all the county’s fatal crashes in the last 10 years.

Traffic deaths increased in most La Crosse area counties last year, compared to totals from the year before. The Wisconsin DOT says Monroe County led the area with 9 people killed in highway accidents, followed by the 8 deaths in La Crosse County. Jackson and Buffalo Counties each reported 6 traffic deaths, with 5 each in Crawford, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties.