Community Corner
Thousands of Michigan Crashes Highlight Need for Work-Zone Safety Awareness
There was more than 4,000 accidents last year in work zones across the state, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Slowing down, concentrating and adhering to roadside warnings could help prevent thousands of accidents in Michigan work zones.
Michigan Department of Transportation released sobering statistics Wednesday during National Work Zone Awareness Week. Last year, there were 4,530 crashes, 1,149 injuries, and 15 fatalities in Michigan work zones compared to 4,633 crashes, 1,312 injuries and 18 fatalities in 2011, according to MDOT.
"Crashes were down across the board for 2012 but too many people are still at risk of serious injury and death," State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle said in a prepared statement. "The majority of the responsibility to create a safe environment is on the driver more than anyone. Eliminating distractions save lives and will help us get closer to Michigan's goal of zero deaths."
Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
View a Youtube video by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials about work zone safety in this article.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
