Long-term trends show improvements in traffic crashes and fatality rates in Southeast Michigan and statewide. However, annual traffic crash reporting continues to include a predictable (and preventable) number of deaths. This is unacceptable. This is why Southeast Michigan, in partnership with the State of Michigan, has joined a national effort Toward Zero Deaths on our transportation network. The essential principle is that no amount of preventable human death is acceptable. SEMCOG’s January 2025 “Adopting a Culture of Safety” event explored how Southeast Michigan is moving forward.

This is Part 1 of the event recap. Read Part 2: Success Stories and Opportunities to Grow Safety Culture.

According to Southeast Michigan transportation system crash data trends, we can anticipate approximately:

• 1 person is killed each day
• 6 more are seriously injured
• 100+ people are killed each year while walking or biking

These figures represent an unacceptable baseline of danger and mortality in an environment that all of us need to use. In addition to the pain and suffering that comes with unexpectedly losing a loved one (or more), there are immense costs that we passively accept by perpetuating an unsafe transportation culture.

It is difficult to quantify the drain on our mental health: the anxiety of dodging speeding traffic or even the cortisol rush of seeing a loved one almost killed in a “close call.”

In economic terms, the cost of crashes in Southeast Michigan traffic crashes is estimated at over $5 billion. In addition to saving lives and reducing pain and suffering, improved safety represents an opportunity to redirect our energy and resources toward other things.

How did we get here?

No one plans to create an unsafe transportation environment or partake in unsafe behaviors. The story of safety is one of competing priorities. Traffic deaths are not the result of one big decision to be unsafe or put selfish priorities first, but the cumulative result of many smaller decisions that erode safety in their totality. These smaller decisions are not always the focus when tragedy strikes, but they are important to consider.

“Safety is a priority, but we don’t always practice it,”

-Alex Bourgeau, Manager of Modeling and Mobility for SEMCOG

This applies to all phases of the transportation process: policy-making, priority-setting, technical planning and engineering, enforcement, behavior, and even the words we choose to describe safety challenges.

You may have heard by now that when referring to a traffic collision, “crash” is preferable to “accident.” This is based on the idea that a series of decisions precedes every crash that made the event more likely.

A simple change in language can shift perceptions of accountability and agency in critical ways. By one name, an accident seems like a random and tragic event. A crash is more accurately (and actionably) understood as the statistically predictable result of a series of decisions.

We wanted to create a safe transportation system, but other priorities sometimes seemed louder in the rooms where decisions got made.

Safety has always been important, but sometimes it got drowned out in conversations that focused more on congestion, convenience, and just kind of going along with expected norms.

Maybe all of us like to drive fast sometimes, too.

We are only human, after all.

While design and engineering are critical, adopting safety culture means understanding that “decision-makers” includes all of us.

We wanted to behave safely, but we behaved more as though we “needed” to be on time after a delay of some kind.

We wanted to be safe, but we chose to have a little more fun.

We want to be safe, but our patience fails us.

We want to be safe, but we get distracted.

We are only human, after all.

Just like a crash, safety is not an accident. At “Adopting a Culture of Safety,” a few of Southeast Michigan’s leaders in promoting safety provided insights into key safety issues and Southeast Michigan is working together toward a future with zero traffic fatalities.

Defining Safety Culture and Safety Needs

Jenya Abramovich, Planner III, SEMCOG Transportation Modeling and Mobility and traffic safety lead for SEMCOG, provided an overview of safety culture and shared a relevant definition from the Montana Department of Transportation: The shared values, actions, and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to safety over competing goals and demands.

Safety Culture: The shared values, actions, and behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to safety over competing goals and demands.

Abramovich highlighted characteristics of two dimensions of safety culture:

• Organizational safety culture
  • Encompasses all aspects of programs, projects
  • Safety is always in mind
  • There is regular communication about safety
  • Leaders are vocal supporters of safety and empower employees to seek innovative approaches
• Public safety culture
  • Road users understand risks and make safe choices
  • Also likely to
    • Use safety devices
    • Obey traffic laws
    • Limit distractions
    • Avoid operating while impaired

She discussed the human and economic costs of crashes, highlighting analysis from the National Safety Council:

She also discussed the Southeast Michigan Transportation Safety Plan, emphasizing its focus on the Safe System Approach to reach Zero Fatalities and Serious Injuries by 2050.

While the traditional approach strives to modify human behavior to fit system needs, the Safe System Approach designs for human mistakes and limitations. The “Swiss cheese model” helps to illustrate the concept:

Based on data analysis that show disproportionate number of fatalities and serious injuries related to certain crash factors, Southast Michigan has identified a series of high-priority emphasis areas. These include:

• Infrastructure
  • Intersection crashes
  • Lane departure crashes
• Behavior
  • Speeding
  • Impairment (alcohol/drug)
  • Unbelted (seatbelt, child safety)
• Road User
  • Pedestrian
  • Bicyclist
  • Motorcyclist

The region’s safety plan includes a summary of actions for each of the regional policies, including recommended timelines. Abramovich also emphasized the Safe System Solution Hierarchy. Limited resources mean we have to prioritize our actions carefully.