Oakland County has lowest traffic fatality rates in Michigan

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oakland County's traffic fatality rates remain some of the lowest in the state and nation. 

In 2022 Oakland County’s traffic fatality rate was 0.66 deaths per 100 million miles traveled by a single vehicle. In comparison, mortality rate for the state of Michigan stood at 1.15 per 100 million miles traveled. 

The national average is 1.35.

Within Southeast Michigan Oakland County has the lowest traffic fatality rates. tying with Washtenaw County in 2022. The data was released by the Oakland County Road Commission. 

"Safety is our number-one priority," stated Oakland County Road Commissioner Managing Director Dennis Kolar. "While we are always striving to reduce the number of crashes on our roads, and even one fatality is too many, it is still heartening to see that our roads remain very safe compared to others across the state and nation. That is the result, in part, of all the hard work done by everyone at RCOC."

Since the pandemic, there has been a stark rise in the number of fatal crashes in Michigan, even as the rate of crashes has fallen. 

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Police have blamed bad behavior on the road as one reason.