Michigan State Police to crack down on speed enforcement

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Michigan State Police are reporting an alarming rise in speeding and fatal crashes since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute reports that the following speed-involved crashes and fatalities within the last year:

Ingham County had 525 crashes and 13 fatalities
Eaton County had 263 crashes and 2 fatalities
Jackson County had 448 crashes and 2 fatalities
Livingston County had 620 crashes and 2 fatalities

MSP is working to try and bring these numbers down. Officers already have a police presence on the freeways. They are also stepping up their focus on drivers speeding on roads during the holidays.

Recognizing the increased traffic flow and winter weather can bring bad road conditions, MSP has increased police presence during Thanksgiving and plans to for Christmas and New Years.

Officers refer to this as a wolfpack, where about five officers will be on a team to go out and show their presence over 3 miles. This would help people recognize their speed. Whether they pull someone over and ticket or not. The police presence helps to reduce the number of drivers speeding or is just a sign to slow down.

“When we do these details, they see four or five trooper cars stopped, they are really going to watch their speed so it doesn’t necessarily have to be a citation that slows down someone’s behavior,” said Trooper Scott Williams, First District Hometown Security Team. “Sometimes it’s just seeing the presence of the trooper cars. We call blue goose sitting on the freeway.”

Trooper Williams said he does see a change in people’s driving behavior when they spot a police vehicle.

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