PIERRE, S.D. (WNAX) – The South Dakota Department of Transportation has reported that traffic on state highways is down about 40 percent, mostly due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.

The Highway Patrol is also reporting that total speeding tickets are down 53 percent from mid-March to early May compared to last year.

Assistant Superintendent Major Rob Weinmeister says they are writing more tickets for people going way over the speed limit.

Speeding tickets for people going 26 miles an hour over the limit are up 12 percent and those caught going over 100 miles an hour are up 19 percent.

Weinmeister says those speeds are very dangerous.

Despite the drop in traffic, Weinmeister says the Highway Patrol is out on their normal rotations.