Michigan sees rise in freeway collisions

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Michigan has just lately seen an increase in crashes on its freeways.

Researchers consider the stretches which have had their velocity limits raised by 5 miles in 2017 have resulted in additional collisions and accidents.

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Lily Guiney is a Michigan driver who mentioned she’s involved concerning the elevated velocity limits on US-127.

“Typically it may well really feel like persons are simply making an attempt to hurry as a lot as they’ll as a result of the velocity restrict is just a little bit greater now than it was,” Guiney mentioned.

Based on Michigan State College researchers, extreme visitors crashes have risen 5% since 2017 as a consequence of elevated velocity limits.

“However these greater speeds, I believe they arrive with a value,” mentioned Peter Savolainen, with MSU Faculty of Engineering. “I believe as drivers we don’t understand that until we all know somebody who’s been concerned in a type of crashes.”

Velocity limits on US-127 close to St. Johns jumped from 70 to 75 miles per hour for automobiles and 60 to 65 miles per hour for vans in 2017.

“As a consequence of that, we additionally noticed just a little bit extra variability in speeds, so we see some individuals which are persistently going to drive 5 or seven, over 10 miles per hour over the restrict,” Savolainen mentioned.

As some drivers sped up, others stayed and the earlier velocity restrict, which led to extra crashes.

“You’ve got one other subset of drivers who aren’t comfy driving at these greater speeds, and so a part of it is likely to be as a consequence of that nice variability in speeds,” Savolainen mentioned.

“I do really feel that generally once I’m driving in these areas, some individuals may need an absence of management or they is likely to be just a little extra centered on their velocity than the drivers round them,” Guiney mentioned.

Savolainen mentioned he needs drivers to be extra cautious.

“One of many huge points we’ve additionally seen that has contributed to extra fatalities and crashes is driver distraction. You see loads of drivers on their cell telephones and we’d discourage these behaviors,” Savolainen mentioned. “We might discourage taking a look at your cellphone whereas driving.”

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