With daylight saving time over and days getting shorter, it’s harder for drivers to see people on foot and on bikes. That’s a concern in Southeast Michigan, where pedestrian deaths reached 100 in 2025, the highest total since 2016.
“It is a particularly dangerous time of year to be walking and biking, especially in the morning and evening hours when it is darker,” said Jenya Abramovich, Planner III with SEMCOG Transportation. “Clothing and equipment that lights up or has reflective material can significantly increase visibility, and we want everyone to be seen.”
SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, released its analysis of 2025 crash data this fall. Crashes in the region fell 1.3% from 2024, and traffic deaths dropped by 16 to 386, the lowest level since 2020. Serious injuries declined for the second year in a row.
Washtenaw County followed that trend. Traffic deaths fell from 35 in 2024 to 26 in 2025, serious injuries dropped from 197 to 174, and total crashes declined 2% to 9,652.
Pedestrians were the exception regionally. Pedestrian deaths rose 28%, from 78 to 100, the highest total since 2016. Pedestrian deaths were the exception across the region, rising 28% from 78 in 2024 to 100, tying 2020 for the second-highest total in 10 years.
In 2025, intersection crashes accounted for the most deaths of any SEMCOG safety emphasis area, 131, overtaking lane departure crashes (119).
Each fall, SEMCOG’s Safe Streets campaign works with local governments to distribute safety education materials and reflective gear. SEMCOG also offers online tools for exploring crash data, including an interactive traffic crash map, high-frequency crash locations, and a traffic crash data search.
The full SEMCOG report is below.
SEMCOG offers these traffic safety data tools:
