Danger zones: Motorists put on notice about dangerous Macomb intersections (2024)

There are several intersections in Macomb County that pose more danger and there will soon be billboards pointing them out.

These messages are part of a campaign launched by Michigan Auto Law to create both awareness and cautionary messages to drivers approaching these intersections.

The billboards will start arriving this week and be up through Labor Day weekend in an effort to provide a unique way to educate drivers and hopefully reduce accidents.

“By placing these billboards as motorists approach critical intersections, we hope to alert drivers and encourage them to pay a little more attention,” Steven Gursten, president of Michigan Auto Law, said in a news release. “Hopefully, they will make safer choices behind the wheel, or even choose a different route.”

Practicing law and specializing in auto accident cases for more than 50 years, Michigan Auto Law’s public safety campaign will include seven outdoor billboards in Southeast Michigan alerting drivers of intersections known to have a high volume of crashes, based on crash data compiled by Michigan State Police motor vehicle accident reports.

Having done the campaign for several years Michigan Auto Law has observed that many of the same intersections have appeared repeatedly on their list of intersections: an intersection being defined as any road with a traffic signal, four-way stop, or roundabout. The crash data includes those that occurred within 200 feet of an intersection including near freeways (and their subsequent on-ramps, off-ramps, and service streets), divided highways, and rural roads.

The billboards in Macomb County will appear at:

• 11 Mile Road and Interstate-696 at Van Dyke Avenue (Warren)

• 18 ½ Mile Road at Van Dyke Avenue (Sterling Heights)

• 10 Mile Rd at 1-94 (St. Clair Shores)

Billboards in other areas will include:

• Schoolcraft Road at Telegraph Road (Redford)

• Martin Parkway at the North Pontiac Trail Roundabout (Commerce Township)

• Telegraph Road at 12 Mile Rd (Southfield)

• US-131 at Wealthy Street (Grand Rapids)

Be proactive

Drivers approaching these intersections should proceed cautiously knowing the hazards or how the traffic flows, as in the case of the 18 ½ Mile Road intersection at Van Dyke in Sterling Heights. However, while this intersection frequently makes the list because of its high number of crashes, because it’s a roundabout the crashes are usually nothing more than sideswipes.

“Roundabouts reduce, and most often eliminate, injuries and deaths,” said Santilli. “Studies indicate roundabouts reduce the types of crashes where people are seriously injured or killed by 78 – 82% when compared to conventional stop-controlled and signalized intersections. Typically, there are 32 conflict points associated with a conventional intersection. However, a roundabout generally has 8 conflict points. By reducing the number of conflict points, and now having vehicles at lower speeds moving through the intersection, roundabouts are significantly safer. They eliminate the potential for right-angle and head-on left-turn crashes, which often tend to result in serious injuries and fatalities.”

Dale Dwojakowski concurred.

“It handles an unbelievable amount of traffic, probably the highest number in the county, but by its design reduces the number of serious crashes,” said the Sterling Heights Police Chief.

These include head-on collisions and T-bone crashes that often result in major injuries and fatalities.

“These are the worst crashes we see in law enforcement,” Dwojakowski said.

To help reduce the number of crashes at these intersections motorists should think ahead. Know that when you approach a roundabout, you need to slow down and pick your lane.

“Yield to traffic before entering the roundabout,” Santilli said. “Vehicles in the roundabout have the right of way. If there is no traffic present, don’t stop. Stay in your lane until you exit the roundabout.”

The more people are familiar with a roundabout the less they are likely to crash, although one cannot control the drivers around them who fail to yield.

“Crashes are usually caused by driver behavior,” Santilli said. “Human error is involved in 94 percent of all motor vehicle crashes. In Michigan, the majority of crashes occur during daylight conditions, clear visibility, and on dry pavement. Rear-end crashes are the number one crash type.”

Anyone who uses Hall Road will attest to this.

Be aware

“Drivers are clearly not paying attention and keeping a safe distance away from the vehicle in front of them,” Santilli said. “When operating a motor vehicle, drivers have a personal responsibility to protect their life and the lives of the innocent people traveling around them. It is imperative that drivers are always paying attention and not becoming distracted by text messages, social media, video chat, and any other tasks that take their eyes off the road and hands off the wheel.”

Creating awareness among drivers is one way to reduce crashes but there’s also been a movement to change the way intersections are designed in order to reduce crashes.

Dwojakowski said 15 Mile and Ryan roads in Sterling Heights used to have a high volume of crashes but the city re-engineered it.

“We pushed the traffic lights to the back of the intersection to make them more visible,” Dwojakowski said.

They also added dedicated turn lanes and worked with businesses in the area that needed to move their entrance and exits to the back of their lots.

“We really addressed the traffic in that area,” he said.

Sterling Heights city officials are also hoping a $500,000 federal grant from the Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All, which the city partnered with Macomb County to get, that will support a traffic study and changes to prevent road-related fatalities and serious injuries. These include everything from traffic circles and road-narrowing medians, to speed humps, speed dots and crossing buttons for pedestrians that set off strobe lights that are sure to get a driver’s attention.

Where they will go depends on the study and public opinion?

“We’re looking for citizen input,” Dwojakowski said.

All road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit, motorists, micromobility, and commercial vehicle operators are encouraged to visit the city’s planning page, sterling-heights-transportation-safety-action-plan-hrc-engr.hub.arcgis.com/, and share their opinions and concerns.

“We got the money to make changes. Now we’re in the process of collecting the data on problem areas,” Dwojakowski said.

“The city is committed to working towards the goal of zero deaths on roadways, and this Comprehensive Transportation Safety Action Plan will move the needle in that direction,” he added.

It’s no accident that Michigan Auto Law chose this time to launch its billboard campaign as this is considered the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer.”

The description derives from statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showing that from Memorial Day through Labor Day there is an increase in the number of fatal crashes involving teen drivers. Some of the contributing factors include higher traffic volumes, the surge in teen drivers on the road, summer vacations, construction, motorcycle usage and more night driving,

Other factors to consider:

• Distractions – Distraction plays a role in nearly six out of ten teen crashes. Electronic devices, such as cell phones, are considered the second-biggest distraction to teen drivers. The biggest distraction is teen passengers.

• Speed – Speeding is a factor in nearly 30 percent of fatal crashes involving teen drivers.

• Buckle up – Those who do so significantly reduce their risk of death or serious injury in a crash.

“With summer upon us, we see a significant increase in road traffic, construction, and drinking and driving,” Gursten said. “Our goal at Michigan Auto Law is safety. We want to keep people and their families safe on the road.”