Mount Clemens, MI — The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office is working to raise awareness and address the ongoing issue of pedestrian injuries and fatalities on area roadways by conducting an enforcement initiative from Monday, October 30, 2023, through Friday, November 3, 2023.
Pedestrian-vehicle crashes continue to be an issue in Macomb County and across the state. Of the 2,026 pedestrians involved in motor vehicle crashes in Michigan in 2022, 173 were killed and 1,566 were injured. These alarming numbers highlight the fact that 86 percent of pedestrians involved in crashes were either injured or killed.
“Between 2018-2022 Macomb County had 60 Pedestrian deaths and was ranked #3 in State fatalities,” commented Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham. “It is not only important to enforce our pedestrian-safety laws; we must also educate drivers and pedestrians about the laws.”
Statewide, crash data shows a rise in the number of pedestrian-involved fatalities on Michigan roads over the last three years. From 2020 to 2022, a total of 531 pedestrians were killed in Michigan, an increase of 17 percent over the previous three-year period.
Over the last five years combined, more pedestrians have been killed in October than any other month. October also has the most pedestrian-involved crashes for the same five-year period.
During the enforcement, officers will focus on the laws applicable to all aspects of pedestrian safety, including drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk at a signalized intersection and fail to stop at a signal or stop sign before a crosswalk. Officers will also be looking for violations by pedestrians that include not walking on a sidewalk where provided, not crossing the street at an intersection, and not walking facing traffic when on a roadway.
The enforcement campaign is supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and coordinated by the OHSP. For pedestrian safety tips and information, visit www.michigan.gov/walksafe.
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