2020 was a deadly year on Michigan roads; area results mixed

Less congestion on the highways and byways of the State of Michigan led to a significant increase in fatal car accidents even as overall traffic plummeted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those trends were partially mirrored locally. Sergeant Russell Larson from the Calumet post was able to crunch some numbers for Houghton, Baraga, and Keweenaw Counties, as well as the UP as a whole. 

Crashes tumbled in the area from 1,335 in 2019 to 1,012 last year. Serious injury accidents jumped by nearly 30% though, from 41 to 53. Larson explains what criteria are used to arrive at that designation.

The Upper Peninsula also saw a double digit jump in serious crashes. Luckily, in both cases, that did not translate into additional deaths. The reports are below.