LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Summer is the deadliest time of the year on Michigan roadways, and according to recent data, it’s getting worse.
The most recent numbers from the Fatal Accident Reporting System shows there’s been a 13% increase in Michigan road fatalities during the summer months since 2019, a stat that caught the eye of researchers.
“When we look at summer fatalities specifically, we find that Michigan has a higher number of summer fatalities, than a lot of other states,” Nick VinZant, of USA Today Blueprint, said.
VinZant said this has a lot to do with younger drivers going too fast.
“I think the biggest thing right now when we look at the statistic is to really get this message home to younger drivers because that is really who we have seen being affected by this increase in fatalities,” VinZant said.
Fatal statistics are even worse when looking specifically in mid-Michigan.
Since 2019, there have been 45 fatal crashes in the summer months of June, July and August, a 50 percent increase with 6 fatal crashes in Clinton County, 11 in Eaton, 17 in Ingham and 13 in Jackson.
According to the FARS report, August is the deadliest month.
“I think the difficult thing with traffic fatalities is that it’s not immediately obvious how big of a problem that they can be; it’s only when we start to get all the numbers in that we realized how big of an increase this was,” VinZant said.
VinZant said there is hope though, because he’s seen many local and statewide law enforcement efforts to keep our roads safer, that he believes are starting to work.
