(WXYZ) — The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning is cracking down on speeding drivers.
OHSP and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Region 5 Office are partnering with five other states on a regional traffic safety campaign called "Great Lakes, High Stakes."
Law enforcement agencies will focus on speeding drivers between June 19 and 27.
“Despite the fact that there were less miles traveled in 2020, the fatality rate rose -- and speed may have been a key factor,” said Michael L. Prince, director of the OHSP, in a press release. “We’ve said for decades that ‘speed kills,’ and the alarming data for 2020 confirms that the faster you drive the greater your risk of dying in a crash. “We hope increased enforcement over the coming weeks will help change these dangerous driving behaviors and save lives.”
While Michigan has seen a 22% reduction in traffic crashes -- 245,432 in 2020 compared to 314,377 in 2019 -- there has been an increase in fatalities, officials said.
Crash data from the MSP Criminal Justice Information Center indicates 1,083 people died from crashes on Michigan roads in 2020, a 10% increase over 2019, with 985 deaths reported.
In 2020, there were 200 speedrelated fatalities on Michigan roadways compared to 185 in 2019, an 8-percent increase.
Recent insurance industry studies show that about 112,000 speeding tickets are issued each day, or about 41 million per year. The average fine for a speeding violation is between $115-$135.
