UW-Madison officials urged student moped riders Wednesday to be extra cautious in their driving practices during the winter months.

Slippery sidewalks and shorter days make winter driving conditions more dangerous, leading to a rise in moped and scooter crashes.

At UW-Madison, mopeds are involved in about 30 to 40 injury-producing crashes per year. The campus has the highest concentration of mopeds in the entire country, making it particularly important for riders to observe traffic safety, according to UWPD Central Campus officer Kristin Radtke.

“Driving a moped in the winter is much more difficult than in other parts of the year,” Radtke said in a statement. “Slowing down is one important part of avoiding a serious crash.”

In addition to slower speeds, Radtke also encouraged riders to be leery of snowy or icy pavement and leave additional braking room in case of skidding. Because of the limited amount of daylight hours in the winter, Radtke recommended installing a headlight onto the moped and keeping it on at all times when riding. It is also important to make sure that winter apparel such as scarves and hats are appropriate and do not obstruct vision.

As always, moped riders should yield to pedestrians to keep campus travel safe during winter months and year round.