Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The state is seeking feedback from vulnerable road users and community stakeholders through a public survey and various open houses being held this summer.

MDOT is conducting a vulnerable road user safety assessment (VRUSA) through a 15-question survey and hosting several public open houses throughout the state to improve understanding of the conditions and behaviors present in fatal and serious injury crashes.

Vulnerable Road Users or VRU’s include anyone walking, biking, or rolling by non-motorized forms of transportation on public roads or on foot in work zones.

Although Michigan’s VRUSA was completed in 2023, in accordance with the Federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, MDOT says it continues to look for opportunities to engage and obtain feedback and continue VRU research.

Every year, MDOT says VRUs are killed or seriously injured on Michigan roads at a rate faster than other road users. With recognition of the importance of safe travel for all, especially VRUs, MDOT and statewide partners have begun to transition to the Safe System Approach (SSA).

The SSA is said to represent an evolutionary step in addressing roadway safety as it is human-centered. The SSA is founded on the principle that all humans make mistakes and that human bodies have a limited ability to tolerate crash impacts. MDOT says it is a redundant system that strives to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries by reducing risks and anticipating mistakes.

The survey is open through August 18th.

For more information about the open houses and to complete the survey, visit the provided links.