Great Lakes Wire

As clocks in Michigan are set to "fall back" to standard time on Sunday, November 2, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), and the Michigan Fitness Foundation are urging drivers to be cautious during twilight hours when visibility is reduced. This reminder highlights the need for motorists to watch for pedestrians and those using bicycles, wheelchairs, skateboards, or other personal devices. State law requires drivers to allow at least three feet of distance when passing a bicyclist.

"Road users need to be alert and eliminate distractions, slow down and fully focus on getting to their destination safely. People traveling on foot or rolling are encouraged to wear brighter-colored clothing with reflective material to enhance visibility," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich. "As a reminder, under the distracted driving law, it is illegal to manually use a cell phone or other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle on Michigan roads. Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms or shoulders."

Research from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute shows that pedestrians face higher risks of serious injury from motor vehicle crashes in the weeks after clocks return to standard time. The first hour after dark is particularly dangerous.

The Michigan Fitness Foundation's Safe Routes to School program works with schools and communities statewide to address safety barriers so children can walk and bike more safely.

"We encourage motorists to reduce their speed, obey all signs and traffic signals, and be on the lookout for pedestrians and cyclists, especially right before and after school," said Michigan Fitness Foundation President and CEO Amy Ghannam. "By working with MDOT on the Safe Routes to School program, the Michigan Fitness Foundation assists local communities to develop projects that increase connectivity and safety for students when they walk and roll to school."

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 7,314 pedestrian fatalities and 1,166 pedalcyclist deaths in traffic crashes across the United States in 2023.

In Michigan specifically, data from Michigan Traffic Crash Facts indicates that 2,281 pedestrians were involved in crashes in 2024; these incidents resulted in 156 deaths and 1,809 injuries. Most pedestrian-involved crashes occurred between 6:00 p.m. and 6:59 p.m., accounting for about 7.6 percent of such incidents. In addition, there were 29 bicyclist fatalities out of 1,369 injured bicyclists reported in crash data; peak times for bicycle-related crashes occurred between late afternoon hours while most bicyclist fatalities happened between 8:00 a.m. and 8:59 a.m.

Alicia Sledge, director of OHSP emphasized how decreased daylight impacts road safety as daylight saving time ends.

"The earlier onset of darkness increases risks for pedestrians and bicyclists, especially during peak travel hours," Sledge said. "We urge all motorists to stay alert, slow down and eliminate distractions because a few extra seconds of caution can save a life."

MDOT continues its collaboration with partners throughout Michigan through initiatives like Toward Zero Deaths (TZD), which aims at changing driver behavior as part of national highway safety efforts (more information here). Additional resources regarding pedestrian and bicycle safety are available online through MDOT as well as organizations like the League of Michigan Bicyclists.