Traffic fatalities fall in Michigan, but distractions abound
Distracted driving is a pervasive problem on American roadways, and Michigan is among states cracking down in recent years.
Why it matters: Around 3,300 people died nationwide in crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022, while another 289,000 were injured, according to the latest National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.
Over 62,000 crashes involved distracted cellphone usage in 2022 alone, NHTSA says.
These stats likely underestimate the problem because crash data often relies on self-reporting, National Safety Council (NSC) executive vice president of safety leadership and advocacy Mark Chung tells Axios.
Zoom in: Michigan's law prohibiting cellphone use while driving went into effect in June 2023, with a $100 fine and/or 16 hours of community service for the first violation.
Michigan recorded 15,136 vehicle crashes involving a distracted driver in 2023, the most recent year available, resulting in 59 deaths, a state police spokesperson told Axios in an email, citing Michigan Traffic Crash Facts.
In 2022, before the law was in place, there were 15,441 crashes involving a distracted driver and 57 deaths.
More time is likely needed to assess the law's efficacy.
Zoom out: Nearly all states ban texting while driving, per the Governors Highway Safety Association, though enforcement rules differ.
The big picture: U.S. traffic deaths per 100,000 people peaked in the 1930s, and total deaths peaked in 1972, then gradually declined thanks to vehicle improvements, better infrastructure and public safety campaigns.
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