Governor Gretchen Whitmer is a lifelong Michigander. She is a lawyer, an educator, former prosecutor, State Representative and Senator. She was the first woman to lead a Senate caucus. But the most important title she boasts is MOM. Inspired by her family, she’s devoted her life to building a stronger Michigan for everyone.
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November 18, 2024
WHEREAS, according to the Michigan State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning, a traffic crash was reported in Michigan every one minute and 50 seconds, resulting in 287,953 traffic crashes in 2023, and emergency vehicles were involved in 2,549 of these crashes, including three fatal crashes and 378 injury crashes; and,
WHEREAS, emergency responders working the scene of a traffic crash or other incident may include any combination of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical service personnel, towing and recovery operators, public works, and transportation first responders, and they risk being struck by a vehicle and killed or injured in the line of duty every hour of every day; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Michigan State Police Office of Highway Safety Planning, although total distracted driving crashes decreased by 2 percent from 2022 to 2023, crashes involving emergency vehicles and distracted drivers increased by 3 percent from 161 in 2022 to 166 in 2023; and,
WHEREAS, according to the Emergency Responder Safety Institute, nationwide, 45 emergency responders were struck and killed while responding to traffic incidents in 2023, including two responders in Michigan, and since January 2024, nationwide, 32 emergency responders have been struck and killed while responding to traffic incidents, including two responders in Michigan; and,
WHEREAS, all emergency responders have a duty to protect each other along with the motoring public and reduce the risk of secondary crashes by training in traffic incident management (TIM) with other emergency responders and using TIM best practices when responding to traffic incidents; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan’s Move Over law requires drivers approaching stopped emergency vehicles with emergency lights activated to slow down at least 10 mph below the posted speed limit and move over at least one lane if safely possible; and,
WHEREAS, Crash Responder Safety Week is an opportunity for Michigan to raise awareness that every emergency responder and every driver has a responsibility for traffic incident scene safety, and by staying alert, avoiding distractions, driving safely around traffic incidents, and obeying the Move Over law, we can save lives;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of Michigan, do hereby proclaim November 18-22, 2024, as Crash Responder Safety Week in Michigan.