The Michigan State Police recently researched car crash statistics in their state to help them learn how to best enforce driving laws there. They found that the number of people who died in car crashes in Michigan dropped by 5 percent in 2011. The police noted that their intense crack down on speeding motorcyclists, commercial drivers, and people who were driving under the influence may have contributed to the smaller amount of fatalities. While this is an improvement, the number of actual car crashes in the state is rising.

In 2010, 937 people perished from a car accident in the state of Michigan. In 2011, that number came down to 889. Yet the number of crashes that ended in injuries or no human damages, and the number of pedestrians killed by cars increased in the state last year. The MSP Criminal Justice Information Center says that they are working to lower the amount of car crashes in Michigan as a whole, but are pleased that they have at least saved lives this year. The state has succeeded in reducing deaths by commercial vehicle accidents by 23 percent. 95 people were involved in a fatal commercial accident in 2010, and only 73 perished from this type of collision in 2011.

Michigan also saw drops in the amount of fatal collisions related to DUI drivers. Since 2010, there has been a 3 percent drop in accidents which involve alcohol. Fatalities from driving on drugs came down by 17 percent. Figures show that crashes which involved cell phones also decreased from 881 in 2010 to 821 in 2011. The fatality rate for crashes with cell phones rose slightly last year, with two more people dying from this cause. Bicycle fatalities came down 17 percent, and motorcyclist fatalities dropped 13 percent. Michigan was not able to track how many crashes involved texting- a situation which has become a common accident-factor within the state.

Unfortunately, pedestrian fatalities increased 6 percent last year, and the state saw a small increase in total crashes. There was also a tiny increase in crash related injuries. 284,049 Michigan drivers were involved in a car crash in 2011. When divided evenly, this statistic results in approximately 778 crashes per day. This means that Michigan citizens are constantly being injured or inconvenienced by the trauma of a car crash. Cars are totaled and families are set back when the vehicle becomes a financial responsibility. Many car accidents result in the need to take sick leave from work. You may need physical therapy if the car accident resulted in a whiplash injury, torn muscles, or a broken limb.

Accidents happen for all sorts of reasons, and the truth is that some are unavoidable. Despite good reflexes, cautious driving, and alertness, there are often times when a collision is inevitable. Yet many crashes are the result of a distracted or impaired driver. Elderly people will sometimes forget what is going on around them, or drivers tampering with the radio dials may burst through a red light. People who eat, drink, text, talk on the phone, or change their music while driving have a higher likelihood to crash. The possibility of a collision is often higher in extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain, thick fog, torrential winds, or stormy snowfall. Drugs and alcohol are also large threats to drivers out on the road. If you see a driver ahead who is bobbing and weaving without much logical reason to do so, you may want to report this sighting to the police. You should strive to be a careful and cautious driver in order to benefit others and lower the car crash statistics in your state!