MDOT aims to change the terminology surrounding traffic crashes

-
1:39
Eddy Street holds 10th Annual Santa Breakfast and Holiday Happenings
-
2:23
Very nice weekend before blast of arctic air
-
0:50
South Bend Airport hosts party for “Bears in the Air” program
-
0:55
South Bend community celebrates “Christmas at Copshaholm”
-
2:01
Drug court program working to save lives
-
1:06
38th annual Candle-light Christmas parade roles through Dowagiac
-
1:53
Enjoy the weekend before bitter cold next week
-
3:19
St. Joseph H.S. Orchestra: Sounds of the Season 2019
-
2:24
Elkhart Police investigating incident of man in van offering...
-
2:12
New association aims to help Michigan manufacturers
-
5:20
Local political expert weighs in on impeachment inquiry; Buttigieg...
-
1:36
Trump Administration looks to end HIV epidemic
LANSING, Mich – The Michigan Department of Transportation has launched a campaign to change the terminology surrounding traffic crashes.
“It’s a crash not an accident,” an MDOT video states.
The department seeks to clarify the difference in the terminology and to show why it matters.
“Accident was used in the 19thcentury by companies to avoid liability for worker injuries on the job and in the 1920’s automakers and insurers began using the word accident to shift blame,” MDOT Spokesperson Nick Schirippa said.
According to the department most crashes are at fault accidents by one or all drivers involved.
“Most crashes result from distracted, drugged, drunken drivers unsafe or illegal actions like driving too fast in wet or icy conditions failing to stop for stop signs and only a small percentage are equipment failure or medical emergencies,” Schirippa said.
The department says this effort will shine a light on that behavior in an effort to change it.
According to Michigan State Police statistics there were 312,798 traffic crashes in 2018 and and most were due to driver behavior like MDOT suggests.
Click here to learn more about the MDOT campaign.

1 Comments
