2013 Thanksgiving weekend safer on MI roads

Thanksgiving weekend was safer on Michigan roads this year than last year.

The Michigan State Police say eight people died in eight separate Michigan traffic accidents during the Thanksgiving holiday period. Nine people died in Michigan traffic crashes during the 2012 long weekend.

None of the eight deaths took place in the Upper Peninsula. One of the victims was a pedestrian; the other seven were drivers. Four of the drivers were not using seat belts. Two of them were wearing seat belts, and it’s not known whether one of them was belted in or not.

The State Police say alcohol was a factor in four of the crashes. It was not involved in two of them, and it’s unclear in two of the crashes whether alcohol use was involved or not.

For statistical tracking purposes, the State Police consider Thanksgiving weekend to last from 6:00 p.m. the night before Thanksgiving until midnight Sunday night. The 2013 weekend lasted from Wednesday, November 27th through Sunday, December 1st.