Pedestrian deaths declined nationally for part of 2023, but not in Michigan, report says

Pedestrian deaths declined modestly nationwide in the first half of last year, a positive development after a decade of troubling increases, but in Michigan, the numbers didn’t follow the national model.

Michigan — with 74 deaths — saw its highest pedestrian toll for the first six months of a year since before the onset of the pandemic, according to preliminary data released Tuesday from the Governors Highway Safety Association.

Michigan officials report a slightly smaller preliminary number, 73, but that would still mean a bump for the state from the same period in 2022, when the number to the midway point of the year then was 63.

Either way, the number of pedestrian deaths in Michigan went up in the first half of last year, putting it on pace to see a potential full-year increase.

Nationwide, the Governors Highway Safety Association reports a 4% decline for January through June 2023 over the same period in 2022, with 3,373 pedestrians killed, but those numbers still highlight a striking number of deaths among the nation’s most vulnerable road users in recent years, with pedestrian deaths hitting a 40-year high in 2022.

“After witnessing pedestrian deaths rise each year, it’s encouraging to finally see a small decrease” nationally, said Jonathan Adkins, the association’s CEO, in a news release. “But the fact remains that 18 people go for a walk every day and don’t return home due to preventable crashes. The only acceptable number of traffic deaths is zero. We must seize on this recent momentum and continue to push for a safer system that protects people on foot from the dangerous driving behaviors that are all too prevalent.”

Michigan was one of 18 states where the number of fatalities went up in the first six months of 2023. The numbers declined in 29 states and Washington, D.C., and remained flat in three states.

Pedestrian deaths have gained increasing attention in recent years as the numbers have gone up, and their share of total roadway deaths has increased. Experts point to a range of factors in these deaths, with more happening at night or on arterial roads, and issues like speed and distraction playing a role. A 2018 Detroit Free Press/USA Today investigation highlighted the impact of an increasingly large vehicle fleet on the problem, with trucks and SUVs more likely than sedans to kill pedestrians they hit.

Infrastructure that slows traffic and provides safer and more frequent crossing areas for pedestrians can help, experts say.

It's not clear why Michigan would have seen a jump in pedestrian deaths in the first half of last year. The numbers can fluctuate a bit, although traffic safety experts have pointed to generally higher numbers since the pandemic began.

Michigan's pedestrian deaths have been higher since 2019, the last full year before the pandemic, with 149 deaths in 2019, 175 in 2020, 183 in 2021 and 179 in 2022, according to a recent report.

“Pedestrian fatalities increased at a pace seven times higher than population growth between the first half of 2019 and 2023,” according to the Governors Highway Safety Association report.

Katie Bower, the director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, which is part of the Michigan State Police, noted that it would be several months before data is finalized in Michigan for 2023.

“We're seeing some of the same things that the rest of the country is seeing,” Bower said Monday, in terms of pedestrian fatalities.

The pandemic brought more outdoor activities, and pedestrian deaths tend to go up in August when people are doing more things outside, she said. Experts also point to higher fatality numbers in the month of October.

In looking at pedestrian deaths, Bower suggested reviewing all potential causes.

Bower also noted the potential role distracted driving plays, pointing to the state’s new law that went into effect last year. Cellphone use, except hands-free options, is now prohibited while driving.

“The law went into effect in June of last year, and we have to do a lot of work to call more attention to the new law and make a concerted effort to let people know about the risks of driving distracted,” she said, noting that she has heard from conversations with law enforcement that people are “very shocked” to learn they can be pulled over for even scrolling through their phones while stopped at a traffic light.

“It’s one thing to have a law, and it’s another thing to actually change people’s behavior,” she said.Data on the effect and implementation of the law is not yet available.

The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office launched a special enforcement effort late last year to address pedestrian deaths, watching for violations by both drivers and pedestrians and cyclists. That effort is still ongoing. The county was ranked No. 3 in the state for pedestrian deaths, with 60, from 2018-22, according to the sheriff’s office.

“The Macomb County Sheriff’s Office continues to be actively engaged in bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement. Today kicked off another session of grant enforcement efforts. Over the next week, deputies will focus on seven different ‘high incident’ intersections, paying special attention to bicycle and pedestrian violations, as well as vehicle violations. Deputies will concentrate on one intersection each day. It is our hope that through these specialized efforts, we can make a difference in bicycle and pedestrian safety in Macomb County,” Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said in a statement.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Report: Pedestrian deaths drop for part of 2023 but not in Michigan