LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – With one saying the issue hits close to home because her dad was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, a number of Kalamazoo area lawmakers have reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand the statutory provision that provides enhanced penalties for a moving violation that causes injury to a “vulnerable roadway user.”
State Senator Sean McCann, along with Senator Thomas Albert , Representative Julie M. Rogers and Representative Pauline Wendzel, say the expanded protections would include pedestrians, bicyclists, individuals using a wheelchair, U.S. postal workers, and individuals riding or operating a vulnerable transportation device.
“For many people across Michigan, outdoor recreational activities like cycling represents fitness and fun, however too often tragedy interrupts these hobbies — resulting in the death or serious injury of a vulnerable roadway user,” Senator McCann said. “It is well past time Michigan address these types of dangerous behaviors by reckless drivers. These bills afford the necessary tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to address the gap between basic traffic infractions and more serious crimes, like the death or serious injury of a vulnerable roadway user.”
“Bicycling is part of a healthy lifestyle, and I am proud to be from the bike-friendly community of Kalamazoo. As a practicing physical therapist and fellow cyclist, I know just how important movement is to our mental and physical health,” Rep. Rogers said. “Unfortunately, Kalamazoo has experienced its share of bicycling-related tragedies. In 2016, nine cyclists were hit by a person driving a truck while riding together near Markin Glen Park. Five of the cyclists were killed, and the other four were seriously injured and hospitalized. We must do more to protect our vulnerable roadway users, and I am proud to be part of this package.”
It was Representative Wendzel’s father was the victim of the hit-and-run. “As more people across Michigan walk, bike, or use other non-motorized ways to get around, it’s critical that our laws keep up and protect everyone on the road. This legislation sends a clear message: reckless drivers will be held accountable, and the safety of vulnerable road users matters. We’re taking a commonsense step to help make our communities safer for everyone.”
The legislative proposal also includes a comprehensive and simplified update to Michigan’s “move over” traffic law, requiring motorists to slow down and move over a lane when they encounter any stationary vehicle with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights.
The change would make Michigan’s ‘move over’ traffic safety law apply to every situation where a vehicle is pulled over and flashing its warning lights.
According to the most recent data available released by the Michigan State Police, while traffic crashes and fatalities fell in 2023, crashes involving vulnerable roadway users, such as pedestrians and bicyclists, increased by at least 10%. There were 114 pedestrian-involved crashes and 183 deaths in 2023, while there were 1,480 bicycle-involved crashes and 24 deaths during the same time period.
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