GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Denise and Paul Yon are frustrated.
“This isn't necessary,” said Denise. “We don't need to go through [this], this is just devastating.”
In an interview with FOX 17, the Fowlerville couple fought through tears as they discussedanother wrong-way crash on US-131.
“The tanker driver that was involved in Willow’s accident said that he's witnessed it [wrong-way drivers] 11 times in his travels,” said Paul. “It's happening all the time.”
Last March, the couple’s daughter, Willow, died when a drunk, wrong-way driver hit her on US-131 between 28th and Burton Streets.
“Willow really enjoy Grand Rapids,” said Paul. “She was excelling even more there than she did here and she did great things. We miss her terribly. She would have graduated this year from Kendall.”
She was on her way back from a friend’s house and had recently interviewed for an internship.
Denise says news of another crash brings back painful memories.
“When we hear it, we think of, ‘Well somebody got a phone call just like we did,’ and that is crushing,” said Denise.
The Yons hope to turn their emotions into a purpose though.
In an interview with FOX 17, the couple called on the Michigan Department of Transportation to install warning and detection systems between Pearl and 28th Streets, which flash lights and send messages to police when a driver enters a road from the wrong way.
They would also like to see more education on the dangers of driving under the influence and increased road patrols by local police agencies.
“MDOT’s job is to make the roads as safe as possible,” said Denise. “That's their job and they're not making the roads as safe as possible.”
According to state police data, the number of wrong-way traffic crashes hit a five-year high in 2021 with 421 reported.
Forty people have died as a result of wrong-way traffic crashes from 2017-2021.
It’s unclear how many of those incidents took place on US-131.
“We don't want to see anybody go through this,” said Denise. “It's hell.”
Paul added, “This affects your family so much in so many ways.”
The Yons hope something happens soon so other families can be spared the tears.
“They’re [MDOT] going to say, ‘We need two years to study things and come up with resolution’. They do not,” said Paul. “They can come up with a resolution Monday morning, tomorrow morning, and that's what it needs to be done.”
On Monday, MDOT sent a statement to FOX 17, detailing some concrete efforts to improve safety, such as signs and sensors, while also pointing to driver impairment as a common factor in wrong-way crashes on US 131.
MDOT is constantly trying to improve and supplement the system to increase safety. Over the years and throughout the state, we’ve implemented measures to prevent wrong way drivers and we will continue to do so. We’ve installed additional wrong way signage, adjusted the height of wrong way signs, added reflective delineators, and installed wrong-way detection systems. All interchanges are peppered with large red and white signs that say WRONG WAY DO NOT ENTER. The only common factor with these types of crashes is that the driver has been impaired in some way.
MDOT installed sensors on exit ramps at US 131 and Hall Street, and US 131 at Wealthy Street in downtown Grand Rapids. If a driver goes the wrong way on the ramp, bright LED lights will flash, warning the driver and alerting MDOT officials monitoring highway traffic. They will immediately call police.
MDOT also says similar systems are established on US 131 and Stadium Drive in Kalamazoo and on I-94 at Dickman Road in Battle Creek.
More systems will be used when funding becomes available, says MDOT.
