Officials say Michigan traffic deaths rose 10% last year as drug-impaired, bicyclist and motorcyclist traffic deaths increased. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning noted Wednesday that it’s the second consecutive year to show a 10% increase. They rose from 963 in 2015 to 1,064 in 2016 according to numbers from the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center.
Michael L. Prince, director of the Office of Highway Safety Planning, says officials are “aligning resources accordingly” to boost training for law enforcement to detect drug-impaired drivers. Plans call for using federal funds to help curb bicyclist and pedestrian crashes.
The last year Michigan exceeded 1,000 traffic fatalities was 2007. Officials note, however, that alcohol-involved traffic deaths declined 11% to 271 in 2016.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
