Most who are familiar with Michigan's well-traveled roads know its crisscrossed highways and roadways have some trouble spots. But which are the most dangerous?
MoneyGeek analyzed 2,751 fatal crashes — including those involving bikers and pedestrians — from 2017 to 2019 to compile a list of the deadliest roads, intersections and stretches of highway across Michigan, including in the major metropolitan areas of Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids.
Nearly a third — 30% — of these deadly accidents were related to drunk driving, and, perhaps surprisingly, only 5% were due to winter conditions. But many factors can contribute to fatal crashes. These include your speed, whether you’re driving while impaired or distracted, whether your view is obstructed or limited, what traffic safety regulations are in place, road conditions and human error.
Knowing which particular roadways have the most crashes and roadway-related deaths may help you plan and safely navigate your next drive.
The Top 10 Most Deadly Road Stretches in Michigan
These 10 roadways are all less than five miles long. But they have the highest number of fatalities from 2017 to 2019. Some of these thoroughfares or highways are known for having multiple intersections and/or high traffic density. Drivers also tend to travel through them at higher speeds. All of this likely contributes to their hazardousness.
Detroit: Gratiot Avenue Between E Grand Blvd to 7 Mile
Detroit: Gratiot Avenue Between E Grand Blvd to 7 Mile
Gratiot Avenue in Detroit between East Grand Boulevard and 7 Mile is the most deadly five-mile stretch in the state. Even though the average traveling time is only eight minutes, there have been 11 fatal crashes on this busy highway road between 2017 and 2019. Most of the fatal crashes occurred at the intersections of this active stretch, which is lined with shops, restaurants and businesses.
Flint: Dort Highway (M-54) Between E Pierson Road and E Morris Road
Flint: Dort Highway (M-54) Between E Pierson Road and E Morris Road
The Dort Highway, which runs from Flint north into Mt. Morris, is the second deadliest stretch of road in Michigan, with 10 fatal crashes from 2017 to 2019. The intersection with East Stanley Road along this four-mile-plus stretch is one of the most dangerous in the state, with four fatal crashes occurring there.
Grand Rapids: 28th St (M-11) Between Eastern Ave SE & Byron Center Ave
Grand Rapids: 28th Street (M-11) Between Eastern Avenue SE and Byron Center Ave
This bustling stretch of road is just under four miles and ranks number three for the state’s most deadly roads. Out of the 74 fatal crashes Grand Rapids had from 2017 to 2019, nine of those occurred along this highly trafficked route with dozens of intersections.
Detroit: I-75 Between I-96 and I-94 Interchange
Detroit: I-75 Between I-96 and I-94 Interchange
This stretch of road winds its way up from Southwest Detroit, passing by the Poletown East neighborhood, and ranks number four on our list, with eight fatal crashes. Most of the fatal crashes that occurred on this route from 2017 to 2019 happened on the stretch that nears or passes I-94. That may not be surprising as I-94 is the most dangerous road in Wayne County, home to Detroit, which averages 160 fatal crashes annually.
Grand Rapids: US-131 Between Wealthy St SE and 44th St SW in Wyoming
Grand Rapids: US-131 Between Wealthy Street SE and 44th Street SW in Wyoming
Heading north from Kellogsville, this 10-mile stretch of road experienced a cluster of fatal crashes just south of the Belknap Lookout community from 2017 to 2019. Grand Rapids averages 25 fatal crashes per year, and eight of those occurred along this stretch, making US-131 one of the most dangerous roads in Kent County.
Wayne County: Telegraph Road Grand River to Joy Road
Wayne County: Telegraph Road Between Grand River Avenue and Joy Road
Eight fatal crashes happened on this five-mile stretch of road spanning Dearborn Heights, Redford Charter Twp, and Detroit. Many of these fatal crashes have occurred at intersections.
Detroit: 7 Mile between Telegraph Road and John C Lodge Freeway
Detroit: 7 Mile between Telegraph Road and John C Lodge Freeway
At just around four miles, 7 Mile runs east between Telegraph Road and John C Lodge Freeway. The short but busy route had eight of the 320 fatal crashes that happened in the city from 2017 to 2019.
Ludington: US-10 between N Stiles Road and N Washington Ave
Ludington: US-10 between N Stiles Road and N Washington Ave
The western terminus of US 10 runs through Ludington. This 4.5-mile stretch is situated in Mason County, which had 22 fatal crashes from 2017 to 2019. Eight of those happened on this active street.
DTW: I-94 Between Viking Road and Telegraph Road
DTW: I-94 Between Viking Road and Telegraph Road
This short stretch of I-94 runs just under four miles and is near Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. It makes our top ten list because of eight fatal crashes occurring from 2017 to 2019. I-94 appears on our top ten list for a second time as it's ranked as the most dangerous road in Wayne County with 20 fatal crashes overall.
Detroit: East Davison Street Between Conant Street and I-96
Detroit: East Davison Street Between Conant Street and I-96
This bustling stretch of road is just under five miles and has experienced eight fatal crashes, earning its 10th spot on our list. Trouble spots like this near I-96 are known for aggressive driving and speeding, prompting the Michigan State Police to introduce "Freeway of Love" to help curb the crashes. This initiative had officers increasing their presence on I-96 to stop drivers who were speeding, not wearing a seatbelt or exhibiting other aggressive driving behaviors.
30% of Fatal Accidents in Michigan Are Drunk Driving-Related
Unfortunately, impaired driving happens every day, and alcohol is a major factor in traffic crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported more than 10,000 drunk driving-related deaths in the United States in 2019.
Impaired driving from alcohol is determined by a driver’s blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, which refers to the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. As it increases, it reduces brain function and impairs thinking, reasoning and coordination. A BAC of .08 is illegal in most states, but even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability.
Michigan, in particular, seems to have a higher number of drivers with elevated BAC levels. In 2018, 2.1% of adult drivers in Michigan reported that they had driven after drinking too much in the past 30 days. In contrast, an average of 1.7% of drivers nationwide reported the same.
Further, from 2017 to 2019, about 30% of fatal crashes in Michigan were because of drunk driving — 2% higher than the national average, which, according to the Information Institute, was 28%. However, some counties in the state saw even higher percentages of drunk driving-related crashes. These include Shiawassee, Mason and Cass counties, which each had 43%.
Only 5% of Fatal Accidents Are Related to Winter Conditions
Michigan is the most dangerous state for winter driving, with an average of 54 deaths on the roads every winter. Despite that, sleet, snow, blowing snow or freezing drizzle conditions only make up 5% of all fatal accidents. The Michigan counties with the highest number of fatalities related to winter conditions include Genesee County, which had 11 fatal crashes, and Wayne County, which had eight fatal crashes from 2017 to 2019. Before the sleet, ice and snow hit your area, learn safety measures that can help you avoid winter driving dangers in Michigan.
Perhaps counterintuitively, Michigan drivers should be particularly cautious when driving in the spring through early fall months. May through September have the highest number of fatal accidents, with the rate peaking in August with 294 fatal accidents and falling slightly in September and October as summer gives way to fall. This may seem surprising at first, but given that the summer months include popular drinking holidays — Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day — and drunk driving accounts for a third of all fatal accidents, this statistic does align with other trends.