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2012 Traffic Crash Numbers

• Total crashes in Michigan decreased 4 percent: from 284,049 in 2011 to 273,891 in 2012.

• Injuries caused by traffic crashes decreased 2 percent: from 71,796 in 2011 to 70,519 in 2012,

• Fatalities caused by crashes increased 5 percent: from 889 in 2011 to 936 in 2012.

• Commercial motor vehicle-involved fatalities increased 10 percent: from 73 in 2011 to 80 in 2012.

• Cell phone-involved crashes decreased 9 percent: 821 in 2011 to 748 in 2012.

• Cell phone-involved fatal crashes increased from six in 2011 to eight in 2012.

• Motorcyclist fatalities increased 18 percent: from 109 in 2011 to 129 in 2012.

• Bicyclist fatalities decreased 17 percent: from 24 in 2011 to 20 in 2012.

• Pedestrian fatalities decreased 5 percent: from 140 in 2011 to 133 in 2012.

• Crashes involving deer declined 9 percent: from 53,592 in 2011 to 48,918 in 2012.

Motorcycle fatalities in Michigan increased by 18 percent in 2012 while the total number of vehicle crashes decreased 4 percent, according to new traffic crash data released Monday by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP).

The 129 motorcycle deaths are part of the an overall increase in fatalities caused by crashes. The total number of fatalities increased 5 percent over 2011, from 889 to 936.

"Michigan's increase in traffic fatalities mirrors what has taken place across the country," Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the Michigan State Police said in a press release from the OHSP.

It is unclear if the increase in motorcycle fatalities has to do with a the lifting of Michigan's helmet mandate.

"With this information just being finalized, there has not been any analysis conducted at this juncture," Anne Readett, spokeswoman for the OHSP.

The total number of traffic crashes decreased 4 percent, from 284,049 in 2011 to 273,891 in 2012. Injuries were also down 2 percent to 70,519, from 71,796 in 2011.

Cell-phone related crashes decreased 9 percent, while fatalities involving cell phones increased from six deaths to eight.

Additional data on the 2012 numbers will be released in the coming months, according to the press release.

"Despite an increase in traffic deaths last year, the long-term picture indicates this is the fifth year in a row Michigan had fewer than 1,000 traffic deaths," Etue said in a press release. "Ten years ago there were nearly 1,300 people who died as a result of traffic crashes in our state."

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Fritz Klug is a news buzz reporter for MLive. Contact him at fklug@mlive.com or 269-370-0584. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ or App.net.