Incident Report: I-39 Collision and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Incident Summary

1. Primary Collision: Shortly after midnight on Sunday, a sport utility vehicle (SUV) traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of I-39 initiated a head-on collision with a compact SUV. The wrong-way vehicle became fully engulfed in flames post-impact.
2. Secondary Collision: During the subsequent investigation and crash reconstruction, a secondary incident occurred. A sedan collided with an unoccupied, stationary DeForest Police squad car that was positioned on the shoulder with its emergency lights activated.

Casualties and Law Enforcement Actions

• Fatalities: One individual, a passenger in the compact SUV struck in the primary collision, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
• Injuries: A total of five individuals sustained injuries. The driver of the compact SUV was transported via UW MedFlight. The driver of the wrong-way SUV and both occupants of the sedan in the secondary crash were also transported to a hospital.
• Arrests: The driver of the wrong-way SUV was arrested for Operating While Impaired (OWI). The driver of the sedan involved in the secondary crash was also arrested for OWI.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

This incident directly contravenes the objectives of SDG 3, which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

• Target 3.6 (Road Safety): The event, resulting in one death and multiple injuries, is a stark example of the failure to meet the global target of halving road traffic fatalities and injuries. It underscores the persistent public health challenge posed by unsafe driver behavior.
• Target 3.5 (Substance Abuse): The arrests of both drivers for OWI highlight the critical link between substance abuse and public health crises. This points to a need for strengthened prevention and treatment programs related to the harmful use of alcohol, a key component of this target.

Relevance to Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The collision highlights vulnerabilities within transportation systems, a core focus of SDG 11.

• Target 11.2 (Sustainable Transport Systems): The incident demonstrates a critical lapse in road safety, which is a fundamental pillar of a sustainable transport system. Achieving this target requires infrastructure, education, and enforcement measures that prevent such catastrophic events as wrong-way driving and the impaired operation of vehicles.

Institutional Response and Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The response to the crashes illustrates the role of effective institutions in maintaining public order and delivering justice, as outlined in SDG 16.

• Institutional Effectiveness: The coordinated, multi-agency response—involving State Patrol, Dane and Columbia County Sheriff’s Offices, multiple local police and fire departments, and medical services—demonstrates the capacity of public institutions to manage complex emergencies.
• Access to Justice: The arrests of the impaired drivers represent the application of the rule of law. Holding individuals accountable for actions that violate public safety is essential for building peaceful, just, and strong institutions.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being. The article’s central theme of a fatal car crash, resulting in one death and multiple injuries, directly relates to public health and safety.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: This goal includes making cities and communities safe. The crash on a major interstate (I-39) highlights a critical failure in road safety, which is a key component of creating safe and sustainable community infrastructure.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: This goal focuses on promoting the rule of law and building effective institutions. The article details the response of multiple law enforcement and emergency agencies (Wisconsin State Patrol, Sheriff’s Offices, local police, fire departments, EMS) and the enforcement of laws, as evidenced by the two arrests for “Operating While Impaired (OWI).”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.6: By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents.
   
   The article directly addresses this target by reporting on a “deadly crash” where “One person is dead and five are hurt.” This event is precisely the kind of tragedy that Target 3.6 aims to prevent and reduce.
2. Target 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety…
   
   The incident, described as a “head on crash” caused by a vehicle “traveling the wrong way,” is a clear example of a breakdown in road safety, which this target seeks to improve. The crash occurred on a major public transport route (an interstate highway), underscoring the need for safer transport systems.
3. Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
   
   This target is relevant due to the legal and institutional response to the crash. The article notes that the driver of the SUV “was arrested for Operating While Impaired (OWI)” and that in the secondary crash, the driver “was also arrested for OWI.” These arrests represent the enforcement of the rule of law. The coordinated investigation by numerous agencies (“Wisconsin State Patrol,” “Dane County Sheriff’s Office,” etc.) further demonstrates the functioning of justice institutions.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 3.6.1: Death rate due to road traffic injuries.
  
  The article provides direct data points for this indicator by stating, “One person is dead and five are hurt.” These figures (1 death, 5 injuries) are the raw data used to calculate death and injury rates from road traffic accidents at a local level.
• Implied Indicator for Road Safety (Target 11.2): Number of alcohol-related road traffic accidents.
  
  While not an official UN indicator, the article implies this metric. It explicitly states that the cause of the crash involved a driver who was arrested for “Operating While Impaired (OWI),” and a second driver in a subsequent crash was also arrested for OWI. The number of such incidents is a direct measure of road safety failures linked to impaired driving.
• Implied Indicator for Rule of Law (Target 16.3): Number of arrests for specific criminal offenses.
  
  The article provides data for this by reporting that two separate drivers were “arrested for OWI.” This serves as a direct indicator of law enforcement activity and the application of the rule of law in response to criminal behavior that endangers public safety.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: wmtv15news.com