Expect More Michigan Police On Roads Following Rise In Fatal Crashes

(CBS Detroit) -- The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) says there will be 100 more local, county and state police keeping the roads safe through February 2022.

The enhanced police presence comes after the state reported a 22% reduction in traffic crashes last year but a 10% increase in fatalities.

"Despite the fact there have been less miles traveled, the fatality rate rose. And crash data shows that speed may have been a factor in many of these preventable crashes," said OHSP Director Michael L. Prince. "It's no secret the faster you drive, the greater your risk of dying in a crash. We hope increased enforcement over the coming months will help change these dangerous driving behaviors and save lives."

According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, in Michigan during 2020:

• Of male drivers involved in all traffic crashes, 6.4 percent were speeding.
• 15.2 percent of motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
• 11.2 percent of drivers aged 15 to 20 involved in crashes (4,650 out of 41,685) were speeding.
• Out of all drivers who were drinking in crashes, 15.1 percent were speeding.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a crash on a road with a 65 mph speed limit or greater is more than twice as likely to result in a fatality than a crash on a road with a speed limit of 45 or 50 mph.

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