The busy intersection at Eight Mile and Haggerty roads saw a whopping 121 percent increase in crashes from 2022 to 2023.

The number of crashes more than doubled at that location, from 28 crashes in 2022 to 62 in 2023. The Northville Township Police Department has launched a plan to increase officer presence in that area and to beef-up public awareness about distracted and impatient driving.

There was also an uptick in crashes, from 21 to 29, from 2022 to 2023 at Eight Mile and Beck Road, said Lt. Pat Reinke.

A large number of the Eight Mile and Haggerty Road crashes involve drivers who are turning from Eight Mile south to Haggerty.

“We usually see some changes year over year but that was significant,” Reinke said. “There’s a lot of traffic coming off the freeway. Most of the accidents were caused by trying to beat the light on the left turn and distracted drivers. They should be trying to focus on defensive driving.”

The use of cell phones and other devices are among the big causes of the crashes, he said.

In an effort to stem the upward crash trend, Northville Township Police will increase driver safety information and provide information on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.


Areas of improvement

Other township intersections saw a decline in vehicle crashes during that time period.

“We monitor our traffic crash data monthly to look for areas that are increasing and look at trends,” Reinke said. “We have officers work on those areas for enforcement to try to drive those numbers down.”

Reinke said the township identifies five intersections that police monitor. They are: Haggerty Road and Eight Mile Road, Haggerty Road and Seven Mile Road, Haggerty Road at Six Mile Road, Beck Road at Eight Mile and Beck Road at Six Mile Road.

Statistics show there were decreases in crashes from 2022 to 2023 at Seven Mile Road and Haggerty Road, Haggerty Road at Six Mile Road and Haggerty Road at Beck Road.


Tips to follow

Reinke suggests avoiding using electronic devices while driving and to keep in mind that last year Michigan legislators enacted a hands-free law, making it illegal for drivers to more than minimally use handheld cell phones. It allows for a one touch swipe on navigational programs, Reinke said.

Looking at social media, browsing the internet and taking part in other phone distractions are banned. Officers do, however, encourage drivers to continue to dial 911 to report emergencies, he said.

Eating, applying makeup and turning to look at passengers should also be avoided.

Last year, there were 513 traffic crashes in the township, which is a slight increase from 2022, when there were 505 crashes.

“During the pandemic people were traveling less and we saw a decrease,” Reinke said. “Now we have rebounded to pre-pandemic numbers. We’re always concerned about traffic safety and we ask everyone’s help by being safe drivers, paying attention to the roadway and avoiding distracted driving.”