LANSING- Drunk driving crashes are in a slight decline compared to the past couple of years, according to the Michigan State Police.
In 2024, the total number of alcohol-involved crashes dipped below 9,000 for the second time in the past 10 years, MSP said. There were 8,542 alcohol-involved crashes last year, a nearly 9% decrease from two years prior.
But impairment-related collisions are still responsible for more than 40% of the state’s traffic fatalities, according to the state’s Annual Drunk Driving Audit, which is consistent with the previous two years.
Driving impaired by either drugs or alcohol results in slowed reaction time, worse decision-making, and decreased control over the vehicle.
If stopped for an investigation of impaired driving, Michigan police will look for glassy, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, slow and sluggish movements, and the odor of alcohol on the driver’s breath. Common protocol is for officers to ask the driver where they’re traveling from, and if they have been drinking.
It’s a crime for Michigan drivers to have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or more if of legal drinking age, and 0.02% or greater if under 21.
Penalties for a first offense could include up to 93 days in jail, fines, community service, and the suspension of a driver’s license. Insurance will also enact penalties and charge higher rates.
Michigan State Police is ramping up efforts this month to crackdown on drunk drivers, ahead of Labor Day Weekend. From Aug. 15 through Sept. 1, more police will have eyes on the road, looking for impaired drivers as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative.
Billboards have been placed, and the Highway Safety Planning is putting out commercials to raise awareness on the issue.
“Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking or taking drugs endangers you, your passengers and everyone else on the road,” said Alicia Sledge, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). “We are encouraging people to make the right choice and find a sober ride home if they plan on consuming substances that impair driving abilities.”
According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI), of the 1,021 fatal crashes in 2023 in Michigan, 272 involved alcohol, while 230 involved drug use.
In addition to the fatal alcohol-involved crashes in 2023, there were 8,817 crashes that year that involved alcohol. The most fatal crashes involving drivers who had been drinking happened in August, according to the data.
Between 2019 and 2023, there were 44 driver deaths in crashes in the state over the Labor Day Holiday Weekend. Of those deaths, alcohol or drugs were involved in 43.2 % of the crashes.
Michiganders who notice an intoxicated driver are urged to call 911 and report it. If possible, be ready to give the license plate number, the type of vehicle, including color and the make/model, and a general description of the driver so enforcement can make sure they’re stopping the right car.
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