MICHIGAN LAWMAKERS APPROVE AUTOMATED SPEEDING TICKETS IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES

Fatal car accidents in construction zones rose significantly last year, according to the latest statistics from the Michigan Traffic Crash Reporting System (TCRS). The steady increase in these accidents and resulting injuries and deaths has prompted new legislation allowing the use of camera-based speeding enforcement systems in Michigan work zones. The two-bill package, which passed the Michigan House of Representatives in June, is intended to reduce speeding, a leading cause of fatal crashes in construction zones and elsewhere across the state.

However, if you or a loved one is injured, hiring an experienced Michigan car accident attorney is the best way to protect your rights and receive the compensation you deserve.

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WHAT CAN DRIVERS LEARN FROM THE LATEST MICHIGAN CRASH REPORTS?

The 2022 Michigan Traffic Crash Report contains 100 pages of detailed information about motor vehicle accidents across the state.

In addition to statewide totals for accidents resulting in deaths, injuries and/or property damage, the data is sorted into multiple categories that include:

• Fatal accidents by county
• Injury accidents by county
• Fatalities by age and gender
• Fatalities by role (driver, passenger, pedestrian, etc.)
• Use of seat belts/car seats
• Airbag information
• Road type (Interstate, Michigan route, etc.)
• Weather conditions and road surface
• Cause of accident (speeding, failure to yield, etc.)
• Crashes by month, day of week and time of day

In addition, there are separate sections with detailed information on crashes involving alcohol, drugs, deer, distracted drivers, bicycles, motorcycles, pedestrians, ORVs, trucks/buses, trains, work zones and police chases.

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IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RECENT MICHIGAN CAR ACCIDENT STATISTICS

Because deciphering the volume of data contained in the report would be overly time-consuming, here is a summary of the information most relevant to Michigan drivers.

• The total number of Michigan car accidents rose 4 percent, from 282,640 in 2021 to 293,341 in 2022
• Fatalities declined 1 percent, from 1,131 deaths in 2021 to 1,123 in 2022
• Teen (ages 13-19) fatalities declined 34 percent, from 83 in 2021 to 55 in 2022
• Bicyclist fatalities rose 24 percent, from 29 in 2021 to 36 in 2022
• Motorcyclist fatalities rose 4 percent, from 166 in 2021 to 174 in 2022
• Snowmobile rider deaths increased 80 percent, from 5 in 2021 to 9 in 2022
• Construction zone fatalities rose 15 percent, from 20 in 2021 to 23 in 2022
• While school bus crashes increased 33 percent, fatalities decreased by half, from 4 deaths in 2021 to 2 in 2022
• Crashes involving senior drivers (ages 60-85+) rose 7 percent, from 70,385 in 2021 to 75,558 in 2022
• The majority of accidents (393,437) involved passenger cars, SUVs or vans
• Crashes involving pickup trucks were the next highest category (57,245)
• Fatalities involving alcohol decreased 10 percent, from 357 deaths in 2021 to 322 in 2022
• Pedestrian deaths fell 5 percent, from 183 in 2021 to 173 in 2022
• Accident-related injuries declined 1 percent, from 71,246 in 2021 to 70,281 in 2022

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RISKY DRIVING BEHAVIORS CONTINUE UPWARD TREND

The pandemic sparked a rise in dangerous behaviors such as speeding, failing to use seat belts and aggressive driving. Unfortunately, instead of subsiding along with the epidemic, these reckless practices have increased, making Michigan roadways even more dangerous.

And, although the recent crash statistics show a slight decrease in fatal car crashes, from 1,131 deaths in 2021 to 1,123 in 2022, the overall picture is far from optimistic. In fact, current research shows the fatality rate per vehicle miles traveled has risen 22 percent since 2019.

In other words, while Michiganders are driving fewer miles, the number of people dying in auto accidents is disproportionately higher.

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WHEN DO MOST SERIOUS MICHIGAN CAR ACCIDENTS HAPPEN?

Month:

According to the recent crash data, the highest number of accidents (32,560) occurred in November, followed by October (29,704), December (27,384) and January (26,096).

However, more fatal crashes happened in June (114) than any other month, followed by July (111), September (109) and May (108).

Day of week:

The majority of accidents happened on a Friday (50,097), followed by Thursday (44,594), Wednesday (43,820) and Tuesday (42,474).

Nonetheless, the most fatal accidents occurred on a Saturday (185), followed by Friday (170), Sunday (167) and Thursday (140).

Time of day:

More crashes (65,162) happened between 3-5:59 p.m., followed by the time periods of noon-2:59 p.m. (48,311), 6-8:59 p.m. (46,913) and 6-8:59 a.m. (42,167).

The most fatal crashes (180) took place between 6-8:59 p.m., followed by 3-5:59 p.m. (167) and 9-11:59 p.m. (159).

In addition, Wayne County had the highest number of fatal car accidents (201), followed by the counties of Oakland (76), Macomb (55), Genesee (50) and Kent (50).

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DO MORE MICHIGAN CAR ACCIDENTS OCCUR IN HAZARDOUS WEATHER?

Surprisingly, no. Of the 293,341 crashes reported last year, the majority happened in clear weather. The same was true for accident-related fatalities, injuries and property damage. Statistics from Michigan State Police dispel the common belief that most accidents happen due to rain, fog, snow and other hazardous weather.   

Here is an overview of weather conditions relative to Michigan car accidents:

For another 4,150 crashes, or 1.4 percent of the total, weather conditions were not reported.

In addition, hazards such as severe crosswinds, sleet/hail, smoke and blowing sand, soil and dirt accounted for 1,268, or approximately 0.4 percent, of the total number of crashes.

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CONTACT OUR EXPERIENCED MICHIGAN CAR ACCIDENT LAWYERS TODAY

If you or a loved one is injured in a Michigan car accident, we can help. Our experienced lawyers have the skills, knowledge and resources to win the compensation you and your family deserve.

Car accident law is complicated, but finding the right Michigan car accident attorney is simple.

Don’t let the legal clock run out. Start your case today by clicking on the link below or calling 1-800-CALL-SAM for a free, no-obligation consultation with a member of our legal team.

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