The Place Where Ludington Talks
Sheriff Cole's Traffic Safety Record So Far
Like last year, the local media and the Mason County Sheriff's Office has partnered together to inform the public that there would be increased patrols at the start of this summer season. This began the week before Memorial Day and continued up to this last weekend.
Also like last year, Mason County Sheriff Kim Cole trumpeted the statistic that there were no traffic crashes on US 10 between Ludington and Scottville for the whole weekend telling the Mason County Press: "Enforcement, coupled with attentive drivers and media blitzes, we are happy to report ZERO traffic crashes once again this year on U.S. 10 in Amber and Pere Marquette townships.” He also reported that during a four hour block of high traffic volumes officers made 59 traffic stops, issued 30 citations, gave 40 verbal warnings and made three misdemeanor arrests, one fugitive and one felony (operating while intoxicated, third offense) arrest.
Last year, I questioned the sheriff's efficacy of fixing the problem of traffic safety in Mason County by using the media and an increased road patrol presence, by his agency and the other police agencies of the area (Ludington and Scottville PD and the State Police). I did this by noting the following two-day weekend featured multiple accidents along the US 10 corridor.
I stated that "There is no established study that I can find that directly correlates the effect of increased "police visibility" in significantly reducing traffic crashes, particularly if the increased visibility is a short term procedure." Further research has shown that 'stationary' police presence over a period of time in an at-risk area can lower the crash rate with its halo effect, but temporary presences lose such effect when the vehicles are absent for a few days.
Having police vehicles in motion over a section of highway actually increases the likelihood of accidents happening. Not only does this occur because the police car may be in emergency mode, and cause accidents by people moving out of the way or by being distracted, but it is also due to the 'emergency' adjustments some drivers may make when they see the police car creep up on them. Both of these observations are studied in detail here.
Yet, anecdotally, that latter seems to be the presence the local police agencies shown over the weekend. Unless, they were stopped by the roadside with a car they pulled over, the police vehicles I and others I quizzed noted that they saw police vehicles in motion. If the officers really want to promote safety around the unsafe areas, they may wish to focus more attention on stationary vehicles stationed near the intersections of US 10 and the intersections it has with Brye Rd., Meyer Road, and Old 31 (PM Hwy).
Has Sheriff Cole made a difference during the first year of his focused effort on reducing crashes? We were promised during the 2012 election that the safety of the motorists on US 10 between Scottville and Ludington (where the most dangerous conditions to motorists are in Mason County) would be enhanced. All of those lessons he learned from his years of being sergeant of the road patrol would be effectuated and he would make everything better, is basically what he said.
The statistics would seem to show otherwise. The Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan have an accident database that is up to date with the latest year's traffic statistics (unlike the MSP site). The crash stats for Mason County shows 1363 crashes occurred here in 2013, 6 fatalities and 22 incapacitating injuries.
When we look at the stats for 2012, the last year we had Sergeant Cole in close command of the MCSO road patrol and Sheriff Jeff Fiers, we had 77 fewer crashes (1286), 3 less fatalities, and 2 less debilitating injuries.
An anomaly? No. 2011 saw only 1244 crashes, 119 less than 2013's total-- that's almost 10% fewer crashes than in 2013, as seen below.
So whatever supposed traffic panaceas Sheriff Cole had enacted in his first year, they were anything but successful on reducing crashes, at least as far as his bailiwick, Mason County is concerned. He may have had another successful Memorial Day weekend on the corridor as he did in 2013, but as we saw then, it does not translate to having the next weekend (or the year) be the same.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by AQUAMAN on
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Yup, I've also witnessed patrols in Lakeview and PM cemetaries over recent years. Can't even let the dead rest in peace? Cole seems to thrive on media attention, and get's his name and picture in the spotlight all too often. Certainly not the humble Fiers personality we had before.
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Permalink Reply by XLFD on
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Just over the weekend I noticed one of these road patrollers of the sheriff going around a local restaurant at what most people would consider an unsafe speed for such areas. Just to get out on the highway to cruise at a 'hurried' speed down the highway without being on code.
When these guys are in hiding at spots where there is little or no safety issues, they are looking out for revenue, not for safety. When these guys are rolling down the highway, in code or not, they only make the safety problem worse. Pulling over people for nuisance violations, only adds safety issues to the roadway around the stopped vehicles.
If the police are actually out there for safety, let them do things that enhance safety. Enforcement does not equal safety.
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Some of the Ludington PD cars often park in some out of the way places to catch up on report writing (or maybe something less productive?), like by the LFD station and in the hospital parking lot.
For safety concerns, the road patrols should be more visible; ducking into cemeteries and out of the public eye on side streets does not do the task, and they should be able to explain why these public officers are at these odd locations rather than being more visible while they are on duty.
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