MICHIGAN TRAFFIC DEATHS FALL TO 871 IN 2009

MICHIGAN TRAFFIC DEATHS FALL TO 871 IN 2009


Michigan’s traffic deaths reached a milestone of 871 in 2009, the lowest number the state has recorded since 1924 when there were 863 traffic fatalities. Today, there are nearly 10 times more vehicles on the road than in the 1920s. The 2009 fatality figure is down 11 percent from 2008 when 980 people died on Michigan roads.


Just a decade earlier in 1999, 1,386 people died on state roadways.


“Michigan is part of a national trend where states are seeing significant declines in traffic deaths,” said Office of Highway Safety Planning Director Michael L. Prince. “A variety of factors contributed to the decline, including fewer miles driven, the state’s high seat belt use, strict enforcement of traffic laws, roadway engineering improvements and vehicle safety features.”


Overall, the number of traffic crashes dropped 8 percent, fatal crashes fell 12 percent and injury crashes declined 6 percent.


Declines were noted in several areas, including alcohol and/or drug-involved fatalities. These dropped from 379 in 2008 to 351 in 2009. Specifically, alcohol-involved fatalities dropped 6 percent, from 317 in 2008 to 299 in 2009. Drug-involved fatalities fell 15 percent, from 140 in 2008 to 119 in 2009. (In some cases, both alcohol and drugs were involved.)


The crash data also shows:

-Motorcycle-involved fatalities fell from 127 in 2008 to 105 in 2009, a drop of 17 percent.

-Commercial motor vehicle-involved fatalities dropped 28 percent, from 106 in 2008 to 76 in 2009.


-The state recorded zero school bus-related traffic deaths in 2009, down from four in 2008. There has not been a child killed on a school bus in Michigan since 1989.


-Cell phone-involved crashes fell from 919 in 2008 to 866 in 2009. (Michigan cannot track crashes involving texting specifically.)


-The number of car-deer crashes remained fairly steady, up 1 percent from 2008. There were 61,486 deer-involved crashes in 2009.


-Pedestrian fatalities increased 10 percent, up from 114 in 2008 to 125 in 2009.


NOTE: Additional 2009 crash information will be posted to michigantrafficcrashfacts.org in the coming months. Check frequently for updates.

MDOT Open House Planned in Menominee

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), city of Menominee, and contractors will present schedules and detour routes for the upcoming reconstruction project on US-41 in Menominee. An open house will be held on April 1, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. (CDT) at the  Menominee High School Auditorium, 1800 18th Ave. in Menominee, MI.


MDOT will be reconstructing US-41 from 20th Avenue to 38th Avenue in Menominee this construction season, widening the highway to accommodate a center left-turn lane. The city will be replacing underground utilities as part of the project. Construction this year is scheduled to begin in April and continue through December. Construction will resume in 2011, continuing the project north through 48th Avenue.

MDOT's Road Weather Information System

MDOT's Road Weather Information System

Just what are those funny looking towers alongside state highways in the U.P? They're part of the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) new Road Weather Information System, or RWIS.


Using federal grant funding, MDOT began installing a new system to monitor atmospheric and road surface conditions in an effort to better manage winter maintenance activities and to provide more travel information to motorists. The concept isn't new (several other Midwestern states have similar systems), but it's new to Michigan.


The system is made up of a network of Environmental Sensor Stations, or ESSs. These stations (the towers you're seeing) combine several types of sensors to measure air and road surface temperatures, barometric pressure, wind, salt concentrations on the road surface, frost depth and dewpoint, as well as cameras to verify conditions at the site. Using the data collected from the 14 existing stations, MDOT and the contract county road commissions providing maintenance services can better predict when ice will begin to form on the roadway or bridge deck, or see when snow is blowing and drifting across the road.


MDOT is working to provide motorists with an online view of the ESS cameras, which they could use to help make travel plans or decide when not to venture out. For now, the ESS data from Michigan and other states can be viewed at www.clarus-system.com.


For more information on the RWIS, contact Dawn Gustafson, MDOT Superior Region traffic and safety engineer, at 906-786-1800 or by e-mail at gustafsond@michigan.gov