Michigan traffic deaths dipped below 1,000 in 2018 for the first time since 2015, according to recently released data from the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice Information Center. The 974 fatalities in 2018 marked a 5 percent drop from 1,028 fatalities in 2017.

Injuries, crashes and serious injuries all declined: Injuries: 78,394 in 2017 to 75,838 in 2018, down 3 percent, crashes: 314,921 in 2017 to 312,798 in 2018, down 1 percent, and suspected serious injuries: 6,084 in 2017, to 5,586 in 2018, down 8 percent.

The percentage of alcohol-involved fatalities also decreased by 12 percent from 359 deaths in 2017 to 315 in 2018. In other areas: commercial motor vehicle-involved fatalities increased from 95 in 2017 to 112 in 2018, up 18 percent, bicycle fatalities remained at 21 in 2018, the same as 2017, teen fatalities decreased from 64 in 2017 to 63 in 2018, down 2 percent, motorcyclist fatalities decreased from 137 in 2017 to 134 in 2018, down 2 percent, pedestrian fatalities decreased from 158 in 2017 to 145 in 2018, down 8 percent, and deer-involved fatalities decreased from 17 in 2017 to 14 in 2018, down 18 percent.