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Motorists on I-39-90 should check their speed Thursday because police will be watching from above.

The Wisconsin State Patrol is planning to use aircraft, along with ground-based officers, to enforce speed limits and other traffic laws on the Dane County stretch of the Interstate.

Capt. Jason Zeeh, commander of the State Patrol’s southwest region post, said public safety is the primary focus of enforcement and officers will be watching for speeding, tailgating and reckless driving.

Last year there were nearly 20,000 speed-related crashes resulting in 7,957 injuries and 173 fatalities in Wisconsin. That’s more than the number of people injured and killed in alcohol-related crashes.

Aircraft use a timing device along with highway markings to determine vehicle speeds. When pilots spot speeding or other violations they radio to officers on the ground who stop the driver.

The State Patrol says it’s announcing the enforcement to encourage voluntary compliance.

Air enforcement is typically funded by federal grants.

The State Patrol analyzes traffic citations and crash reports to determine where to focus enforcement efforts.

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