State Highway 53 in Michigan: fatal crashes
From 2015 to 2024, 75 fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan killed 81 people, the 11th most of 162 numbered roads in Michigan. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 11 deaths on the road.
A state highway running through 5 counties of Michigan. All fatal crashes in Michigan.
Deaths on State Highway 53 in Michigan by year
| Year | Fatal crashes | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8 | 11 |
| 2023 | 13 | 14 |
| 2022 | 9 | 9 |
| 2021 | 12 | 12 |
| 2020 | 3 | 3 |
| 2019 | 9 | 10 |
| 2018 | 4 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 | 5 |
| 2016 | 6 | 7 |
| 2015 | 6 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Where on State Highway 53 in Michigan: the counties with the most fatal crashes
Macomb County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 53 from 2015 to 2024: 32, with 34 deaths. Macomb, Lapeer and Wayne counties together held 85% of fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024. Counties are listed from 5 fatal crashes.
| County | 2024 | 2015 to 2024 | Deaths | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macomb County | 4 | 32 | 34 |
| 2 | Lapeer County | 3 | 21 | 23 |
| 3 | Wayne County | 1 | 11 | 12 |
| 4 | Huron County | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| 5 | Sanilac County | 0 | 5 | 6 |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
When fatal crashes happen on State Highway 53 in Michigan
75 fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024 have a known time, too few for any one weekday and time of day to stand out. The worst hour is 7 pm to 8 pm; the worst month is June.
| Midnight to 4 | 4 to 8 am | 8 to noon | Noon to 4 | 4 to 8 pm | 8 to midnight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 5.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Mon | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash |
| Tue | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 6.7 percent, 5 fatal crashes |
| Wed | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 5.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Thu | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 5.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes |
| Fri | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
| Sat | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 5.3 percent, 4 fatal crashes | 2.7 percent, 2 fatal crashes | 1.3 percent, 1 fatal crash | 0.0 percent, 0 fatal crashes | 4.0 percent, 3 fatal crashes |
By hour
By month
- Jan9.3%
- Feb10.7%
- Mar9.3%
- Apr6.7%
- May12.0%
- Jun17.3%
- Jul4.0%
- Aug9.3%
- Sep9.3%
- Oct4.0%
- Nov8.0%
- Dec0.0%
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
What fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan first hit
The first harmful event was a collision with another vehicle in most fatal crashes, 56%; a pedestrian in 24%, a fixed object such as a tree, pole or barrier in 15%, a cyclist in 4.0%.
| First harmful event | Fatal crashes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Collision with another vehicle | 42 | 56% |
| Pedestrian | 18 | 24% |
| Fixed object (tree, pole, barrier, ditch) | 11 | 15% |
| Cyclist | 3 | 4.0% |
| Other | 1 | 1.3% |
| Rollover | 0 | 0.0% |
| Parked vehicle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Not reported | 0 | 0.0% |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
How fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan compare with the state
The largest difference from Michigan: from 2015 to 2024, 22% of occupants killed on State Highway 53 in Michigan were unbelted, against 38% across Michigan. Also above the Michigan share: hit-and-runs and pedestrians. Below it: motorcycles. Shares of fatal crashes from 2015 to 2024, against the share across all of Michigan. A share is only given over 20 crashes; above or below means more than chance would give on 75 crashes.
| State Highway 53 | Michigan | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| On rural stretches | 43% | 41% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| At or near an intersection | 35% | 29% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| In the dark, road unlit | 25% | 26% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| A drinking driver | 20% | 28% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| Speeding | 20% | 25% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| A distracted driver (as recorded) | 8.0% | 5.9% | about the same as the Michigan share |
| Occupants killed unbelted | 22% | 38% | below the Michigan share |
| Hit-and-run | 13% | 6.5% | above the Michigan share |
| A motorcycle involved | 6.7% | 16% | below the Michigan share |
| Pedestrians among the dead | 24% | 15% | above the Michigan share |
Source: NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), 2024 Annual Report File (released April 2026, subject to revision). How we count
Questions about fatal crashes on State Highway 53 in Michigan
- How many fatal crashes have there been on State Highway 53 in Michigan?
- 75 fatal crashes killed 81 people on State Highway 53 in Michigan from 2015 to 2024. In 2024 there were 8 fatal crashes and 11 deaths. Source: NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).
- Where on State Highway 53 in Michigan do the most fatal crashes happen?
- Macomb County had the most fatal crashes on State Highway 53 from 2015 to 2024: 32, with 34 deaths. Lapeer County was second with 21.
Other roads in Michigan with a page
- I-69
- I-75
- I-94
- I-96
- State Highway 10
- State Highway 102
- State Highway 21
- State Highway 24
- State Highway 25
- State Highway 3
- State Highway 37
- State Highway 43
All fatal crashes in Michigan, with every road ranked.
Where the State Highway 53 numbers come from
Counted from NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Annual Report File: every fatal crash whose road NHTSA filed as State Highway 53 in Michigan (filed under 15 spellings, such as "SR-53", "SR-53 CEDAR", "SR-53 CEDAR ST", "SR-53 E VAN DYKE RD"). Ramps, frontage and service roads are left out. Where two routes share a road, NHTSA files each crash under one of them, so a shared stretch counts on one route only. A fatal crash is one in which someone died within 30 days. Totals in state and news reports for a road usually differ: they include ramps and frontage roads, or count from preliminary reports. The full method.