Study finds Macomb County roundabout the most dangerous in Michigan

A roundabout in Macomb County is taken into account probably the most harmful within the state, based on a research by Michigan Auto Legislation in Farmington Hills.

The roundabout at 181/2 Mile Highway and Van Dyke Avenue in Sterling Heights tops the legislation agency’s checklist of the ten most harmful roundabouts in Michigan.

That intersection reported 162 crashes and 12 accidents in 2024, based on knowledge collected by the Michigan State Police Visitors Crash Reporting Unit. That’s 20 p.c greater than the 135 in 2023. The figures are the most recent accessible.

The Sterling Heights roundabout was additionally the second most harmful intersection in 2024, the research discovered.

Steve Gursten, president and lawyer at Michigan Auto Legislation, mentioned the report is a part of the legislation agency’s ongoing public security marketing campaign to lift consciousness and assist drivers make safer choices on Michigan’s roadways.

“By highlighting high-risk roundabouts, our advocates need to encourage motorists to take further care, refresh their information of roundabout driving and contemplate various routes the place attainable,” mentioned Gursten.

Attorneys on the legislation agency say roundabouts are sometimes promoted as safer options to conventional intersections, however analysis from the Michigan Division of Transportation (MDOT) exhibits that changing an intersection to a roundabout can considerably enhance the general variety of crashes, whilst fatalities and harm crashes might lower.

In keeping with Michigan Auto Legislation, drivers usually tend to be concerned in a collision at roundabouts with an elevated crash frequency. Moreover, MDOT’s harm and fatality knowledge is mostly primarily based on ambulance responses to accident scenes and will not seize accidents that aren’t instantly obvious.

“Folks can endure very severe accidents from accidents the place no ambulance has been referred to as to the scene,” mentioned Gursten. “Police experiences and ambulance responses could be deceptive as a result of they solely inform us what individuals reported instantly afterwards on the scene. They don’t (and can’t) precisely have in mind all of the individuals who go dwelling and go to the emergency room later that day or who go to the physician the subsequent day.”

Knowledge from the Michigan State Police Visitors Crash Reporting Unit confirmed that 5 of the 20 most harmful intersections in Michigan have been at roundabouts.

The remainder of the highest 10 riskiest roundabouts embrace:

• Martin Parkway and N. Pontiac Path in Commerce Township. Oakland Counties’ largest roundabout recorded a complete of 151 crashes and 9 accidents in 2024. This was additionally the third most harmful intersection in 2024.
• Orchard Lake Highway and 14 Mile Highway in Farmington Hills noticed a 17 p.c lower in crashes from 2023 and 5 accidents.
• State Highway and W. Ellsworth Highway in Ann Arbor. The variety of accidents fell from 126 in 2023 to 85 in 2024. 5 accidents have been reported in 2024.
• Lee Highway and Whitmore Lake Highway in Inexperienced Oak Township, 80 crashes (up from 85 in 2023) and three accidents.
• Oakley Park Highway and Martin Parkway in Commerce Township, 69 crashes, six accidents.
• Farmington Highway and W. Maple Highway in West Bloomfield Township, 64 crashes, seven accidents.
• Sprinkel Highway and Cork Road (north of I-94) in Kalamazoo, 49 crashes, 15 accidents.
• Drake Highway and W. Maple Highway in West Bloomfield Township, 48 crashes, six accidents.
• Remembrance Highway NW and Wilson Avenue NW in Walker, 38 crashes, seven accidents

As a result of drivers’ nervousness and confusion typically enhance when approaching roundabouts, Michigan Auto Legislation has launched a Michigan Roundabout Useful resource Heart. For extra info, go to michiganautolaw.com.