As Detroit, Southeast Michigan and the state grows, residents want a variety of “safe street” initiatives to ensure kids, bikes, scooters, walkers and every other form of transportation has room on the roads along with automobiles.

Southeast Michigan residents who took a recent online survey sponsored by SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, and the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) have provided their perceptions regarding pedestrian and bicycle safety.

“We recently learned from an extensive household travel survey that walking and biking are on the rise in Southeast Michigan, and communities are installing a wide-range of facilities to improve the ease of these activities,” said Kevin Vettraino, Manager of Plan Implementation for SEMCOG. “Unfortunately, we know that fatalities from bicycle and pedestrian crashes are also rising.”

To better understand the actions of people who walk, bike, and drive, SEMCOG and MAC asked Southeast Michigan residents to rate:

• What they believe are the primary causes of traffic crashes involving people who are walking and biking;
• How well they understand laws and infrastructure created to assure safety;
• How often people do things that are proven to increase their safety; and
• How often people take risks that increase danger.

For those who completed the survey, three primary causes of traffic crashes involving people walking and biking in Southeast Michigan are distracted drivers, walkers, or bikers (85%); inadequate walking or biking infrastructure (61%); and disregarding the rules of the road (60%).

Analysis of crashes from recent years shows that a high rate of fatalities involving people riding bikes take place at intersections. Fatalities involving walking tend to be associated with crossing midblock without a crosswalk and walking in a travel lane (not crossing). Statewide data show that fatalities involving distracted driving, including cell phone use, are increasing.

Results of this survey also show that only 38 percent of respondents were aware that crosswalks exist wherever sidewalks cross roads, even if no lines are painted on the road, while only 36 percent of respondents were aware that bicyclists may ride in the travel lane even if there is a bike lane or side path present.

A wide majority of those surveyed reported that they follow the traffic laws and safety tips with which they are familiar. However, of those surveyed, most (74%) sometimes, often, or always drive above the posted speed limit, while many (39%) report sometimes, often, or always using their phone to text or talk while driving. Nearly half of people who walk said they sometimes or often cross the street when seeing a flashing hand or “DON’T WALK” signal.

When asked how well they understood new types of walking and biking infrastructure in Southeast Michigan, over 50 percent of those surveyed were not familiar or only somewhat familiar with what to do when driving on a road with shared-lane markings, while half were not familiar or somewhat familiar with what to do in this situation when biking. Over 70 percent were not familiar or only somewhat familiar with what to do while driving or biking when approaching a dashed or colored section of bike lane.

“We thank everyone who participated in this survey,” said Kathleen Lomako, Executive Director, SEMCOG, and President, MAC. “With an increased emphasis on biking and walking as a quality-of-life and public health enhancement, it is critical that everyone who walks, bikes, and drives understand the rules of the road. Safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

To increase education and awareness, SEMCOG and local governments are engaging in safety education efforts throughout Southeast Michigan, which include a new brochure emphasizing important safety tips for walking, biking, and driving, as well as explanations of relevant state laws, infrastructure, and signage.

Surveys, crash data analysis, and educational efforts are all part of a comprehensive effort to implement the Southeast Michigan Traffic Safety Plan by identifying problem areas and key issues, and developing strategies focused on the four Es of safety – engineering, enforcement, emergency medical services, and education.

This online survey was available to all residents via SEMCOG’s and MAC’s websites. Although not part of a scientifically derived sample, the feedback provides an important perspective.

  Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, outheast Michigan Council of Governments, SEMCOG