DETROIT (FOX 2) - Michigan police will have extra eyes on the road this Distracted Driving Awareness Month, looking for drivers doing more than driving behind the wheel.
Several years ago, the state enacted a stricter distracted driving law that prohibits doing any task with a cell phone in their hand, even when stopped. Police will be looking for drivers not obeying this law all April as part of a larger high-visibility enforcement campaign.
"Distracted driving is not an accident—it is a deliberate choice that can inflict lasting harm on families," said Jim Santilli, the CEO of the National Transportation Safety Organization. "Safer roads rely on all of us committing to drive without distractions."
Michigan State Police 'Lake to Lake' initiative on April 1 cracks down on distracted drivers
Enforcement will focus on high-visibility saturation patrols beginning in Indiana and continuing across Michigan to Port Huron, extending into Canada along Highway 401 from the Ambassador Bridge to Toronto.
Drivers caught violating the distracted driving law face a $100 fine for their first offense, along with potential community service. Second offenses include a $250 fine and possible community service, while a third offense in three years includes a required driving-improvement course.
By the numbers:
According to data from Michigan State Police's traffic crash summary, crashes involving cell phone use decreased from 2023 to 2024. However, fatal crashes linked to cell phone use spiked during the same time period.
There were 18 fatal crashes that involved cell phone use in 2024, up from 11 in 2023. Twenty-one people were killed, a 91% increase from the 11 deaths in 2023.
Distracted driving crashes that did not fall into the cell phone-involved category also decreased. However, like crashes involving cell phones, 10% more people died in crashes involving distracted driving in 2024 compared to 2023.
"While fewer distracted-driving crashes is encouraging news, the increase in mobile device use and distracted-driving-related fatalities is alarming," said Alicia Sledge, the director of the Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). "Nearly 300 people have died in distraction-involved crashes in Michigan from 2020 to 2024. That should concern every roadway user and underscores the need for people to embrace safer-driving habits."
The Source: This information is from the Office of Highway Safety Planning and previous reporting.
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