"Very dangerous environment:" Two pedestrians killed on highways in two weeks

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Two people have been killed outside their cars on the freeway in two weeks. Now, law enforcement is reminding drivers how to stay safe should your vehicle become disabled.

Car trouble is bound to happen especially in cold weather months. With 116,000 traffic crashes a year in Wisconsin, a split second decision could be the difference between life and death. 

"Make sure you're in a well-lit area and if you can call 911, call 911. Stay in the vehicle, wait for a trooper or a deputy to get there," said Sgt. Scott Zovar with the Wisconsin State Patrol. 

On Saturday, a man was killed when he was trying to put gas in his car which he had pulled over on the side of I-43 South. 

Just days earlier, another man was killed in Pewaukee when he got out of his disabled car and tried to run across 94 West. The fear of getting seriously hurt on the highway is one that first responders deal with on a daily basis.

"When you see flashing lights on the roadside, make a special effort to move over or slow down," said Sgt. Zovar.

On Monday, the Wisconsin DOT released a YouTube video advising drivers in distress to get their cars off the road at the nearest exit possible and to always watch out for emergency workers.

"Our personnel that's one of their biggest fears is getting struck by a moving vehicle. It's a dangerous place to be," said Sgt. Zovar.

Sgt. Zovar also says state patrol has traffic cameras along the interstate, with dispatchers monitoring the traffic so they can assign someone to the call when they see a vehicle in trouble.