Sara J. Martin Portrait, MDOT Director Kirk Steudle

Safety first, safety always.

When it comes to connected and automated vehicles, you could say I was an early adopter. My interest in this technology dates back more than a decade, and while there are many benefits, none matters more than the potential to save lives. This is why I am so pleased to welcome the 2018 ITS America Annual Meeting to Detroit in June. 

At the Michigan Department of Transportation, we embrace the Toward Zero Deaths movement. The only acceptable number for deaths on Michigan roads is zero. That sounds lofty, I realize. But when you ask someone how many deaths from auto crashes are acceptable, people scratch their heads, then the answers vary widely. Phrase the question another way — “How many crash deaths are acceptable for your family members?” — the answer is, understandably, a quick and resounding “Zero!”