Sheriff ‘alarmed’ by rising number of fatal crashes in Macomb – Macomb Daily

Authorities are alarmed by a double-digit increase in the number of people killed in traffic crashes in Macomb County since the start of the year.

Traffic safety analysts attribute many crashes on area roads and highways to all-too-common causes: distracted driving, speeding and impaired drivers.

During the first 10 months of 2024, the number of fatalities in Macomb increased 25% compared to 2023, according to preliminary statistics compiled by the Macomb County Traffic Safety Association. Forty-five motorists lost their lives through October, the association reported.

Sheriff Anthony Wickersham calls the numbers “alarming.” According to him, too many drivers still use their phones to talk, watch videos, or even play games.

“People are driving more aggressively than ever and everyone is in a hurry,” he said Thursday, a day when his deputies were investigating two crashes that left those involved with serious injuries.

Statistics show that traffic accidents involving distracted drivers have increased by 11% in the United States and 27% in Michigan over the past five years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, distracted driving is defined as engaging in another activity that distracts the driver’s attention from driving. This may include using cell phones, eating, talking to other passengers, and adjusting the radio or air conditioning.

In the United States, nine people are killed every day in crashes involving a distracted driver, according to the CDC.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 3,308 people died in distraction-related crashes in 2022, a 6% decrease from the previous year. NHTSA officials acknowledge there could be limitations in the data and a potential underestimation of the number of crashes caused by distraction.

Regardless, Wickersham says even one life lost in a road accident – ​​for whatever reason – is one life too many.

The sheriff’s office has launched a number of initiatives to try to reduce the number of accidents. One is periodic, proactive enforcement focused on seat belt use, OUILs, or distracted driving. Public education and routine deputy patrols form the backbone of the abatement effort, Wickersham added.

Bad driver habits

Despite these efforts, deputies report flagrant driver violations every day — from motorists applying makeup while looking in the rearview mirror to drivers taking selfies, authorities say.

“Even though there are laws in place prohibiting such behavior, you can look in the vehicle next to you on the road and see people who are not paying attention when they are on the phone, looking at TikTok videos or they play or text because they feel like they need to respond immediately,” Wickersham said.

“A lot of people do everything but pay attention to the road.”

Where the fatal accidents took place

Monthly reports from the Fraser-based Macomb County Traffic Safety Association through October show the deaths occurred in:

• Garenne — 9
• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office Jurisdiction — 7
• Clinton Township — 7
• Chesterfield Township — 5
• Sterling Heights — 4
• East Point — 3
• Roseville — 3
• Shelby Township — 3
• Utica — 2
• Frasier — 1
• Center line — 1
• Michigan State Police Jurisdiction – 1

In two cases, accidents claimed the lives of two people at the same time.

On June 6, Jose Medina-Hernandez, 33, was driving a box truck south on M-53 in Shelby Township when he struck the back of a Buick Vera, triggering a police response. chain involving two other vehicles. The occupants of the Buick, Nancy Richmond, 88, and her daughter Crystal Brunn, 63, were killed in the crash.

Medina-Hernandez was later convicted of two misdemeanors. He faces up to a year in prison when he is due to be sentenced on December 30.

In Warren, on-duty police officer James Burke was charged with two counts of manslaughter after allegedly causing a September crash that killed Cedric Hayden, 34, and his close friend, DeJuan Pettis, 33, on Schoenherr Road, near Toepfer Road. , according to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office.

Burke, 28, was suspended in the case that sparked public outcry and criticism of Warren police for dangerous and unnecessary driving. He is due back in court on January 9, 2025 for a probable cause conference.

Overall, accidents are decreasing

Interestingly, monthly reports from the Fraser-based Traffic Safety Association show that overall the crash situation could actually be improving.

At the end of October, the total number of accidents actually decreased by 3.2% (18,561 compared to 19,175) for the same reference period in 2023; the number of bodily accidents and injured people also decreased by 3.4% and 2.2% respectively; and the number of accidents causing property damage decreased by 3.2%, according to the association.

But 46 people died in 46 vehicle and motorcycle crashes through the end of October, the report said. With the recent wave of fatal accidents, the figures for 2024 will certainly increase.

In 2023, the number of people killed on the region’s roads increased by 2.2%, with 37 deaths reported.

Traffic analysts with the Traffic Safety Association and Macomb County’s Alcohol Highway Safety Program said at the time that the county had “much more work to do” to educate drivers.

“Clearly, based on the data, Michigan has a significant problem with its drivers keeping their sole attention on the driving task,” said Christopher Drummy, executive director of the program.

A year later, Sheriff Wickersham finds himself repeating much of the same message.

“All drivers should turn down their phones and minimize their conversations while behind the wheel, even with passengers,” he said. “And stay fully focused on your driving.”