(WXMI) — State troopers have released Michigan crash data for 2021.
Michigan State Police (MSP) says traffic crashes resulted in 1,131 deaths last year, a 16-year high. They say it’s a 4% increase over 2020.
We’re told there was also a 10% increase in deaths resulting from alcohol-related crashes.
“Unfortunately, there was a steady rise in traffic crashes and injuries during 2021, and we are determined to turn those numbers around and save more lives,” says Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) Interim Director Alicia Sledge. “The OHSP will be coordinating high-visibility enforcement campaigns this summer focusing on impaired driving, speed and seat belt use to help reverse the trends we are seeing.”
MSP adds bicyclist deaths fell by 24% from 2020; however, deaths increased in all other categories in the study. Most notably, deaths in construction zones increased by 43%, and deer-related deaths doubled in 2021 compared to 2020, troopers say.
