WAUSAU, Wis. (AP) -- A state safety expert says snowmobile crashes on Wisconsin trails have killed 24 riders so far this winter, considerably more than a year ago.

But Gary Eddy says he expected the casualty figure to be higher by now given the record snowfall across much of Wisconsin.

Eddy is the snowmobile safety administrator for the Department of Natural Resources.

He credits the 55 mile per hour nighttime speed limit on trails for holding down the deaths.

DNR records show Wisconsin has averaged 27 snowmobile deaths per season over the past 12 years.

17 people had died in snowmobile crashes at this time last year.

The record for snowmobiling deaths is 39 during the 1999-2000 winter.