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As Michiganders prepare to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday, they likely have many considerations – and one is the cost involved.
But they may want to keep safety in mind as well, since highway fatalities and people not wearing their seat belts seem to be on the rise.
Highway car crashes have caused more deaths in the state this year than at the same time last year, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.
On Nov. 19, MDOT reported 23 people had died just in that last week on Michigan highways. That represents a total 932 fatalities this year, six more than had occurred last year at the same time.
MDOT’s Towards Zero Deaths program monitors the number of fatalities weekly caused by highway car crashes. It is a national strategy seeking to eliminate serious injuries and deaths on U.S. roadways. The program’s philosophy is that “one death on our nation’s roadways is too many.”
With a possibility of some snow and/or rain forecast for this week, MDOT Communications Specialist James Lake recommends driving within the constraints caused by those weather conditions.
“I would say a timely misconception is the belief that slippery roads in winter cause crashes,” Lake said. “In fact, while drivers do often lose control of their vehicles on slushy, icy, or snowy roads, it’s because they are driving at a speed too fast for conditions.”
“That’s borne out by the fact that not everyone ends up in the ditch in those conditions; most people slow down appropriately and reach their destinations safely,” he said. “Driving at a speed that matches conditions and allows you to stop in a safe manner isn’t just good practice, it’s the law.”
Michigan’s Office of Highway Safety Planning released its 2024 Annual Direct Observation Survey, which documented 25,000 cars where seat belts were not being worn and more than 20,000 drivers using mobile phones.
That report confirms a decline in seatbelt use for the second year in a row.
Ninety-two percent of front-seat occupants in Michigan wear seat belts. That’s down from 92.4 percent in 2023 and 92.9% in 2022. Those survey results also indicated that drivers who are young men are less likely than other occupants to wear their seat belts.
“Males and younger occupants, specifically those in pickup trucks, continue to exhibit lower seat-belt use rates,” the report found.
Use of handheld mobile devices by Michigan drivers in 2024 fell to 5.5%, a statistically significant decrease from the 6.7% rate in 2023, before the distracted driving law went into effect.
The report also found that handheld use of mobile devices is most likely to occur among younger drivers.
All-time high travel
More than 2.5 million Michigan residents are expected to travel at least 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving. That’s 65,000 more than last year, which is an all-time high for Thanksgiving travel, according to AAA.
The majority — nearly 2.3 million — will travel by car, which is 50,000 more than last year; 217,133 Michigan residents will travel by plane.
Michiganders are also expected to set a new air-travel record for Thanksgiving. Air travel increased by 4% in Michigan since last year and 12% since 2019, according to data from AAA.
Despite domestic airfare increasing 3% this year, 5.84 million people nationwide will fly domestically this holiday, an increase of 2% compared to last year and a nearly 11% increase over 2019, AAA predicts.
“We expect to see record travel numbers across the board,” said Debbie Haas, vice president of travel for AAA – The Auto Club Group, in a press statement.
“With more people taking to the roads, skies, rails, and sea; travelers should expect congested roads and longer lines at transportation terminals. AAA encourages travelers to develop their plan now and consider travel insurance, which provides compensation for flight cancellations, delays, and lost luggage.”
Prices at the pump
While gas prices in Michigan have increased by 9 cents per gallon in the last week, prices are 16 cents lower than they were last year.
As of Monday, Michigan motorists were paying an average of $3.12 for a gallon of regular gas compared to $3.28 last year.
Here’s the price-per-gallon spread in cities in Michigan: Ann Arbor: $3.18; Benton Harbor: $3.09; Metro Detroit: $3.12; Flint: $3.09; Grand Rapids/Muskegon/Holland: $3.16; Jackson: $3.19; Lansing/East Lansing: $3.13; Marquette: $3.05; Saginaw/Bay City/ Midland: $3.08; Traverse City: $3.01.
Gas prices also were down nationally. Motorists were paying an average of $3.07 for a gallon of regular gas as of Monday, compared to $3.32 last year.
Best times to drive
Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, is the best time to travel, when interstates and highways are typically clear, according to transportation data company INRIX.
The worst times to travel by car this week are expected to be Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, they said.
Drivers traveling today should leave early in the morning, INRIX advises. Those heading out on Monday should expect a mix of travelers and work commuters on the road.
“With a record number of travelers expected to be on the road, drivers should follow traffic apps and local news alerts to avoid major delays,” said Bob Pishue, transportation analyst at INRIX, in a press statement.
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