Oakland County Cracks Down on Distracted Driving Along M-59

Oakland County's latest crackdown on distracted driving started Oct. 21. Police now watch M-59 from both marked and hidden vehicles to catch drivers breaking the law.

Through Oct. 28, plain-clothes officers scan traffic from unmarked cars. When they spot violations, they alert patrol cars waiting nearby to stop offenders. The quick strikes catch many by surprise.

"I can tell you, as a former accident investigator and a fatal traffic investigator, distracted driving is the cause for very many dangerous crashes and fatal crashes," said Sheriff Michael Bouchard, according to WXYZ Detroit.

The numbers paint a grim picture in Michigan. Phone-linked road deaths shot up from 11 to 18 between 2023 and 2024. The total lives lost climbed even higher - a shocking 91% jump from 11 to 21 victims.

Studies reveal a stark truth: texting makes crashes 23 times more likely. "If you're holding your cellphone and you're driving, even if you're stopped at a red light, the law doesn't permit that," Bouchard said.

Last June, Governor Whitmer signed stricter rules about phones in cars. Now drivers can't hold devices with any body part. The law lets you tap your phone once - that's it.

Local drivers share scary stories about close calls. "Actually today, as I was coming home on 1-75, a driver, who was holding his phone right in his hand, almost rear-ended me," said Waterford resident Samir Mazahem per WXYZ Detroit.

Since 2017, these special patrols have worked to stop dangerous driving habits. Officers watch for texting, map use, social posts, and video viewing - anything that pulls eyes from the road.

With deer season making roads riskier, staying alert matters more than ever. The strict enforcement runs through Oct. 28, focusing on M-59's busy stretch.