MICHIGAN, USA — As of Dec. 29, there has been 1,016 impaired driving fatalities in Michigan. In December 2020 alone, so far, there has been 52 deaths.
Michigan State Police Lieutenant Michelle Robinson told 13 ON YOUR SIDE that this year officers noticed an increased amount of reckless driving.
“Well what we're finding right now is a lot of increase in speeds that are out on the roadways. Individuals are driving with higher blood alcohol content levels, and they're taking a lot riskier behavior — we'll see speeds in excess of 90 miles an hour," Robinson said.
She indicated that impairment is not just alcohol, even though alcohol has statistically been the most deadly.
“We're finding that the marijuana use is having an impact on individuals, people think because marijuana is legal in Michigan, that they can still operate a motor vehicle and that's not the case," Robinson said. "If you're under the influence of marijuana, you're still going to be under the influence and you will be cited for impaired driving."
From Dec. 11 - Jan. 1, Over 100 law enforcement agencies in Michigan are participating in the holiday Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
This consists of 35 different counties and approximately 3,700 hours that are being dedicated to extra patrols during this holiday timeframe
The objective is to increase officer presence to reduce the number of fatalities and serious injury crashes out on Michigan roadways.
Robinson said that it's actually harder to know if a driver is impaired just by patrolling.
"It's not that we're strictly focused on the impaired drivers. But if there are any number of traffic violations that can occur that would give us the probable cause to make a traffic stop, at the traffic stop we learn based off other indicators that someone may be intoxicated," Robinson said. "And a lot of times unfortunately it's the traffic crashes that will have the trooper respond to them. Then, as throughout their investigation of the traffic crash they will find that that individual was intoxicated, or under the influence.”
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