Michigan Fatal Accident Statistics

Michigan Fatal Accident Statistics

Michigan is one of the few starts that has experienced a decline in traffic fatalities but an increase in some of the driving behaviors that lead to them. In the newest complete statistical outcomes, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports on the traffic safety performance measures for the years 2005 through 2014.

According to this report –

1272 drivers were involved in accidents that killed 901 persons in 2014. Of those 901 fatalities,

  • 585 were passenger vehicle occupants
  • 196 were not wearing their seatbelts
  • 469 were in single vehicle accidents
  • 98 died in accidents involving large trucks
  • 235 died in speed-related crashes
  • 182 died in rollovers
  • 426 died in crashes where at least one vehicle left the roadway
  • 233 died in accidents at or near an intersection

The Universal Helmet Law was repealed in Michigan in 2012, and you definitely tell. After a ten-year low of 10 unhelmeted motorcycle rider deaths in 2011, the law was repealed, and unhelmeted deaths spiked to 64 that year alone.

The number of novice drivers involved in fatal accidents gradually fell over the ten-year period and the adoption of the Graduated Driver’s License Program. This three phase system gives teens extra time to develop safe driving skills. In fact, the number of drivers under the age of 20 who were involved in fatal crashes dropped from 201 in 2005 to 118 in 2014.

The number of people who chose drive drunk is decreasing, though a steeper decrease is needed if the state is trying to reach the goal of zero preventable deaths. Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities dropped from a high of 335 in 2006 to 215 in 2014.

Speed-related deaths have remained stubbornly high as drivers continue to put at risk the lives of everyone on the road. In fact, 243 people died due to speeding drivers in 2005 and 235 died in 2014. Clearly, more needs to be done to stop this negligent driving behavior.

Walkers, joggers, and hikers need to be extra careful on Michigan roadways, as data show that this most vulnerable segment of road users are succumbing to motor vehicle accidents at a horrific rate of nearly three people a week. Sadly, pedestrian deaths have increased since 2005, climbing from 137 to 148 in 2014.

Because of how deadly these types of incidents usually are, bicyclists must always be wary of motor vehicle traffic, especially in Michigan. Unfortunately, the state has yet to do enough to separate cyclists from cars and trucks on the road as reflected in data showing 25 cyclists lost their lives on the road in 2005, and 22 died in 2014.

Have You Been Injured in a Car Accident? Call Us Today!

Michigan’s highways and bi-ways are dangerous. If you’ve been injured in a car accident or lost a loved one in a fatal crash, you need a dedicated team of attorneys and legal professionals fighting for your rights. Our attorneys have a long and proven record of helping the victims of car accidents get the compensation they deserve.

Call us today if you or a loved one were injured in a

  • Commercial bus crashes
  • School bus accidents
  • Pedestrian accidents
  • Bicycle accidents
  • Truck crashes
  • Motorcycle collisions
  • Commercial vehicle accidents
  • Semi-truck crashes

We’ll fight insurance companies, negligent operators, and reckless drivers to get you the maximum compensation you deserve.


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