The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners will hear a presentation on a new project aimed at reducing crashes involving Amish buggies when they meet on Tuesday.
Kris Dewey, of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency is scheduled to give the presentation about a grant from the Office of Highway Safety Planning.
The three counties are home to nearly 1,100 Amish families, representing about 30% of Michigan’s Amish population.
Between 2016 and 2023, there were 261 crashes involving buggies, horses, or sulkies across the state, with 78 occurring in the three counties. Notably, in 2019, Branch County experienced three fatalities related to buggy accidents.
According to a survey done by the state, the biggest safety concerns include aggressive and intoxicated drivers, passing in no-passing zones, and poor road conditions.
The commissioners are set to meet on Tuesday morning.
Menu