For immediate release May 17, 2007

Contact: Sue Stetler 313-961-4266

National Transportation Week is May 13-19;
Southeast Michigan continues to improve road safety and security

SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, applauds the region’s efforts and accomplishments in traffic safety and encourages drivers to continue the good work, particularly during National Transportation Week, May 13-19, 2007.

Our region has made great strides over the past several years to improve the existing transportation system. These improvements have played a vital role in improving safety. Since 2000, the number of traffic crashes has decreased each year in Southeast Michigan. In 2006, there were 138,156 traffic crashes in the region. That is 19,119 (or, 12.2 percent) fewer crashes than in 2005, and more than 55,700 (or, 28.7 percent) fewer crashes since 2000. This is the result of the combined efforts of government, law enforcement, and carious traffic safety groups working together to make improved safety a priority. In addition to our roads being safer to travel on, motorists have also taken steps to improve their safety through increased safety belt use. In 2006, Michigan achieved its highest ever-recorded safety belt use of 94.3 percent, second highest in the U.S.

"We at SEMCOG realize that there are many drivers in our region who are very careful drivers. What can you do to protect yourself against 'the other guy'?" asked Paul Tait, SEMCOG Executive Director. "The best answer I can give to everyone is to buckle your safety belt, keep it buckled at all times, and keep distractions to a minimum."

Our roads are also safer, due in part, to the work of the Michigan Department of Transportation's Freeway Courtesy Patrol. The Freeway Courtesy Patrol began in 1994 as a means of enhancing motorist safety and security while reducing traffic congestion that is so often associated with vehicle breakdowns and crashes on Detroit area freeways. The three main objectives for Freeway Courtesy Patrol drivers are to assist stranded motorists; detect, mark, and report unoccupied vehicles; and move or assist in moving debris off the roadways. Since its inception, the Freeway Courtesy Patrol has assisted 166,736 stranded motorists, made 83,761 unoccupied vehicle stops, and stopped to clear debris 9,251 times.

With 34 vehicles patrolling 12 Metro Detroit freeways, Freeway Courtesy Patrol drivers helped 34,351 stranded motorists in 2006, according to MDOT Freeway Courtesy Patrol in Southeast Michigan: 2006 Evaluation Report, released by SEMCOG. On average, it took Freeway Courtesy Patrol drivers less than 15 minutes to clear an incident. In 2006, the Freeway Courtesy Patrol saved an estimated 11.7 million hours of delay on freeways in the coverage area. Based on the hours of delay, there were also significant reductions in air pollution, benefiting everyone in Southeast Michigan.

This news release is the fourth in a five-part series to be released this week addressing the importance of our transportation system and the steps needed to overcome current and future challenges.

National Transportation Week (NTW), May 13-19, 2007, provides an opportunity for the transportation community to join together on a national level to demonstrate the importance of transportation to our economy and society as a whole. The Detroit Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau is proud to host NTW 2007 in Detroit. Established in 1962 by President Kennedy, NTW celebrates the historical significance of transportation in the United States and focuses on its future impact in our country. For more information, please visit www.ntweek.org.

SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of governmental units serving the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan, striving to enhance the region's quality of life.

Local Governments Advancing Southeast Michigan

Read recent SEMCOG news releases

 

---