We welcome <b>Alicia Sledge, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) and chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission (GTSAC), for this segment of West Michigan Weekend.</b><br /><br />Alicia joined host Phil Tower for an overview of a serious and aggressive effort to reduce traffic fatalities in Michigan.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/ohsp/gtsac/safer-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b>SAFER by 2030</b>…</a>. Is the name of the initiative AND SAFER is an acronym for “Statewide Action to Reduce Fatalities Encountered on our Roadways” by 30 percent by 2030.<br /><br />The new program involves several state of Michigan agencies and departments working collaboratively to create a culture of safe driving in Michigan, to work towards Zero Traffic Deaths.<br /><br />In 2024, 288,880 traffic crashes in Michigan took the lives of 1,099 people. Those 1099 fatalities were an increase over the 2023 number of 1095 automotive fatalities.<br /><br />The SAFER by 2030 initiative focuses on three key areas of Awareness, Engagement, and Enforcement. <br /><br /><b></b><br />Helpful Links:<br /><br /><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/ohsp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b>MICHIGAN OFFICE OF HIGHWAY SAFETY PLANNING</b></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.michigan.gov/msp/divisions/ohsp/gtsac/safer-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><b>LeaMichigan.gov/saferby2030</b></a><br /> <br />