LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – The Michigan Senate passed bipartisan legislation Tuesday proposed by Senators Sean McCann of Kalamazoo and Thomas Albert of Lowell that they say will help keep bicyclists, pedestrians, and others safe on the road.
Senate Bills 216-217 would expand protections for pedestrians, bicyclists, wheelchair users, U.S. postal workers, and others by increasing penalties for those who commit a moving violation against them.
“Whether walking to a friend’s house, cycling out on rural roads, or crossing the street in a wheelchair — everyone deserves to use our roads to get to where they need to go safe and sound,” said Sen. McCann. “By increasing accountability for drivers to share the roads with all who navigate them, we can prevent needless tragedies from occurring and ultimately save lives.”
The legislation 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.
According to the Michigan State Police, in 2024, there were a total of 2,131 pedestrian-involved crashes with 156 pedestrian fatalities. And there were 1,773 bicycle-involved crashes and 29 fatalities.
June 7, 2016 a motorist drove a pickup truck into a group of cyclists in Cooper Township in Kalamazoo County. Five cyclists were killed in the crash, and four were injured. Charles Pickett Jr. of Battle Creek was convicted of five counts of second degree murder and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury. He was sentenced to 40-75 years in prison.
The Senate bills are now headed to the House for deliberation. The House version of this legislation, House Bills 4334-4335, are sponsored by Representatives Julie M. Rogers of Kalamazoo and Pauline Wendzel of Watervliet.
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