Michigan Roundabouts That Were The Most Dangerous in 2023

Before we get into our list of the Most Dangerous Michigan Roundabouts in 2023 we might as well state the obvious: Drivers either LOVE or HATE the traffic circles that have been popping up all over the state.

In theory, roundabout proponents argue that roundabouts are safer than traditional intersections and their circular design allows traffic to move faster. 

But reality sometimes works out differently than theory.

Research from the Michigan Department of Transportation shows that when an intersection has been converted to a roundabout it “significantly increased the number of total crashes but reduced the number of fatal and injury crashes.” 

This is significant because:

• The danger of being injured or killed in a car accident is naturally greater at a roundabout where there are more car accidents than at a roundabout where there are fewer or no accidents.

• MDOT injury and fatality data is generally based on the number of ambulances that are called to a crash scene but that limited data paints an incomplete picture because most car crash injuries don’t always result in an ambulance being called to a scene right away because most injuries aren’t always apparent immediately after a motor vehicle accident. The pain, the symptoms and the effects of a serious injury may only begin to become apparent in the hours and days after a car accident. Police reports frequently do not – and cannot – accurately take into account all the people who go home and go to a doctor but do not take an ambulance. 

In fact, on our list of Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections in 2023, five of the top twenty intersections with the most car crashes in the state were these uniquely designed traffic circles. Thousands of drivers are filled with anxiety and confusion when approaching roundabouts, and as the statistics of reported auto accidents arguably show they have good reason to be.

Our attorneys would like to thank the Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit for their assistance in providing the underlying car crash report data that we use to identify the Most Dangerous Michigan Roundabouts in 2023. The underlying auto accident report data analysis for the list below is based on traffic accident reports filed by local law enforcement and police departments throughout Michigan.

Top 10 Most Dangerous Michigan Roundabouts in 2023

1. MARTIN PKWY @ PONTIAC TRAIL, Commerce Twp, 160 Total Crashes, 11 Injuries
2. 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights,135 Total Crashes, 9 Injuries
3. ORCHARD LAKE RD @ 14 MILE RD, Farmington Hills, 132 Total Crashes, 12 Injuries
4. STATE RD @ W ELLSWORTH RD, Ann Arbor, 126 Total Crashes, 5 Injuries
5. LEE RD @ WHITMORE LAKE RD, Green Oak Twp, 85 Total Crashes, 4 Injuries
6. OAKLEY PARK RD @ MARTIN PKWY, Commerce Twp, 70 Total Crashes, 35 Injuries
7. FARMINGTON RD @ W MAPLE RD, West Bloomfield Twp, 69 Total Crashes, 26 Injuries
8. SPRINKLE RD @ CORK ST (NORTH OF I 94), Kalamazoo, 59 Total Crashes, 21 Injuries
9. DRAKE RD @ W MAPLE RD, West Bloomfield Twp, 51 Total Crashes, 24 Injuries
10. 19 MILE RD @ ROMEO PLANK RD, Clinton Twp, 32 Total Crashes, 4 Injuries

 – Source: Michigan State Police Traffic Crash Reporting Unit (Note: Any roundabouts constructed in 2023 are not included on our list of Most Dangerous Michigan Roundabouts in 2023. A full year of data is necessary before one can be evaluated for whether it should be included in our annual list.)

No. 1: MARTIN PKWY @ N PONTIAC TRL, Commerce Township

Total crashes at this Michigan round about increased 26.9% to 160 in 2023 from 126 in 2022. There were 140 in 2021, 110 in 2020, and 161 in 2019. 

Injuries in 2023 dropped to 11 from 13 in 2022. In 2021, there were 18 injuries. And in 2020 and 2019, there were 4 and 12.

No. 2: 18 1/2 MILE RD @ VAN DYKE AVE, Sterling Heights

Although total crashes were 135 in 2023 – which is up 14.4% from 118 in 2022 – they were down 41% from 229 in 2019. In 2021 and 2020, there were 168 and 131 total crashes, respectively. 

There were 9 injuries in 2023, which is down from 10 in 2022, 17 in 2021, and 14 in 2019. In 2020, there were 8 injuries.

No. 3: ORCHARD LAKE RD @ 14 MILE RD, Farmington Hills

Total crashes at this busy Michigan roundabout more than doubled in 2023 from 2022 levels. In 2023, there were 132 motor vehicle accidents – up from 64 in 2022. In 2021, there were 122 crashes. And in 2020 and 2019, there were 89 and 178 respectively. 

Injuries in 2023 tripled from 2022, going from 4 to 12. In 2021, 2020, and 2019, there were 15 injuries, 11 injuries and 22 injuries, respectively.

No. 4: STATE RD @ W ELLSWORTH RD, Ann Arbor

There were 126 total crashes in 2023 at this Michigan roundabout, up 35.4% from 93 in 2022. In 2021 and 2020, there were 79 and 69 total accidents, respectively. However, the total crash numbers for 2023 were still lower than 2019 when this roundabout saw 154 total accidents. 

In 2023, there were 5 injuries, compared to 7 in 2022, 1 in 2021, 6 in 2020 and 8 in 2019. 

No. 5: LEE RD @ WHITMORE LAKE RD, Green Oak Twp

In 2023, this Michigan roundabout had the highest number of total crashes that it has had in the last four years. There were 85 accidents, which was up from 70 in 2022, 71 in 2021 and 35 in 2020.

There were 4 injuries in 2023 – the same as in 2022. In 2021 and 2020, there were 5 and 2 injuries, respectively.

Michigan roundabout rules for safe driving

Driver education is a critical component of driving safely through these circular intersections.

We’ve seen an increase in recent initiatives by local law enforcement to monitor drivers and provide needed education. Hopefully these efforts, along with other Michigan safety initiatives, will help drivers navigate these intersections with less overall car crashes throughout the state.

To learn how to safely drive through these circular intersections, you can visit our Michigan Roundabout Resource Center to view an interactive map of both existing and proposed traffic circles as well as an explanation of how to determine who is at fault in an auto accident in these types of junctions.

Our safety tips include the following from the Michigan Department of Transportation:

• “Slow down, watch for pedestrians and bicyclists, and be prepared to stop if there are vehicles ahead of you.”
• “[Y]ou must drive to the right of the center island in a counterclockwise fashion.”
• “Before you enter, look to your left and watch for vehicles already in the circular intersection. You must yield to any circulating traffic. Once there is room to enter, then safely fill in the gap.”
• “Do not stop while traveling in the circular intersection.”
• “Upon passing the street prior to your exit, turn on your right turn signal and watch for pedestrians and bicyclists as you exit.”

We also invite you to visit Michigan’s Most Dangerous Intersections page for a complete list of which intersections, including traffic signals, roundabouts and stop signs, had the highest number of crashes in 2023.

Injured in a roundabout crash in Michigan? Get help from Michigan Auto Law now

If you or a loved one was injured in a roundabout accident in Michigan, call now (855) 781-7747 for a free consultation with one of our experienced car accident lawyers. There is no cost or obligation. You can also visit our contact page or use the chat feature on our website.

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