Michigan Stepping Up Speed Enforcement during Regional Traffic Safety Campaign

State aims to stem troubling rise in speed-related fatalities.

Media  Contact: Det.Lt Andrew Hadfield;  Berkley Public Safety; 2395 W. 12 Mile, Berkley MI 48072; O - 248-658-3392; F – 248-658-3391; ahadfield@berkleypublicsafety.net

[Berkley, MI] — Since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than two years ago, law enforcement agencies across the nation have reported an alarming rise in speeding and fatal crashes.

To combat this disturbing and dangerous trend, the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Region 5 Office are once again partnering on a regional traffic safety campaign. As part of the “Great Lakes, High Stakes” campaign, more than 25 municipal, county and Michigan State Police (MSP) law enforcement agencies will focus on speeding drivers between June 18 and 26.

Nationally in 2020, 11,258 traffic fatalities involved crashes in which one or more drivers were speeding, an increase of 18 percent over 2019 (9,47 fatalities).

“It’s hard seeing speeding as a continual factor in crashes, which is all too preventable and we hope to slow down the stats and the drivers,” said Lt. Andrew Hadfield. “During the ‘Great Lakes, High Stakes’ campaign we will be working with our fellow law enforcement officers across the state to ensure the message gets out to drivers that speeding will not be tolerated on our roadways.”

In Michigan, the number of traffic crashes rose from 245,432 in 2020 to 282,640 in 2021. There was also a rise in fatalities (1,131 in 2021 compared to 1,083 in 2020).

Also in Michigan, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, in 2020:

  • There were 200 speed-related fatalities on Michigan roadways compared to 185 in 2019, an 8 percent increase.
  • 6.4 percent of male drivers involved in all traffic crashes were speeding.
  • 15.2 percent of motorcycle riders involved in fatal crashes were speeding.
  • 11.2 percent of drivers in the 15- to 20-year-old age group involved in crashes were speeding.
  • 15.1 percent of all drivers who were drinking in crashes were speeding.
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 $115 to $135.
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