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A team of state leaders will meet this morning in Helena to start tackling what’s being called a crisis on Montana highways.

After another deadly weekend, the fatality count on state roads stands at 33. That compares to just 13 at this time a year ago. The surge has come on the heels of a year in which an increase in traffic deaths of 17 percent was recorded over 2014.

“It’s never good, but this year is turning out to be outstandingly bad,” said Audrey Allums, grant bureau chief in planning for the Montana Department of Transportation.

The new traffic safety executive leadership team will meet at 10 a.m. today in MDT’s Commission Room. Legislators and leaders from a diverse group of statewide agencies and associations from the governor’s office to the Montana Tavern Association are invited.

The meeting is expected to be the first of several and, while it’s been in the works since last year, it’s coming at a particularly sensitive time.

The death toll rose from six to 22 in February, and another 11 fatalities were reported by the Montana Highway Patrol in the first 13 days of March. They include fatal crashes during the past weekend near Manhattan and Belgrade on Interstate 90 and another north of St. Xavier on a secondary highway.