MSP cracking down on aggressive drivers along dangerous stretch of I-94

(FOX 2) - A new effort by Michigan State Police will crack down on aggressive driving along I-94 between Jackson and Taylor. 

Crashes involving commercial motor vehicles have increased 15 percent in the past five years, and in 2018 nearly 15,000 crashes in Michigan involved commercial motor vehicles. Between 2014 and 2018, 86 people were either killed or seriously injured while traveling on I-94 in Jackson, Washtenaw and Wayne counties. 

"One death is too many, especially if the cause of the crash was related to preventable driver behavior, and the TACT campaign is really aimed at changing that behavior and, therefore, saving lives," said Dr. Daniel Blower with the Michigan Truck Safety Commission Chair. 

The TACT campaign stands for Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks. 

"The goal of this campaign however is not to write citations; the goal is to change behavior and to reduce traffic related crashes, injuries and fatalities through education and this targeted enforcement effort," said MSP Capt. Mike Krumm. 

A similar campaign took place in 2013 and afterwards, a focus group of truck drivers provided the safety commission with input on what to look for.

"There were, 'They're tailgating us;' 'When they're changing lanes they're cutting directly in front of the trucks, they're not giving any kind of cushion at all;' and taking away the safety margin of the commercial vehicle driver," said Mike Prince, Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Director.

The campaign will happen June 3-7 and June 10-14, Monday through Friday each week, between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

During the campaign, officers will be on the lookout for violations by both passenger vehicles and commercial motor vehicles such as improper lane use, careless and reckless driving, speeding, following too closely, and failure to yield the right-of-way.