Transportation & Roads

Michigan crosswalk safety rules unclear

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By DARCIE MORAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — When a car and a pedestrian meet at a crosswalk, what’s supposed to happen? It’s a safety question that’s left some Michigan communities requesting more signs to remind drivers to yield for pedestrians. But some officials aren’t sure more yield signs will help, or what will. Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation, said he’s seen an unusually high amount of requests for the signs in the last year — but he’s not so sure they’re a great idea. The signs could give pedestrians and others crossing the street a false sense of security that could lead to injury, he said.

Health

More snow means more snowmobiling, but not an increase in accidents

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By DARCIE MORAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — Despite the near-record snowfall in Michigan that created a banner year for snow-related sports, snowmobile fatalities haven’t climbed with the piles of snow. Nine snowmobile fatalities were reported this season as of mid February, said Cpl. John Morey, the Department of Natural Resources off-road vehicle and snowmobile coordinator. By about this time last year, 13 fatal snowmobile accidents had taken place. An additional fatal accident not yet on the department record happened Feb. 19 in Luce County, according to the sheriff’s department.