There’s a new rule of the road for Michigan bicycle riders. And now is the time to be better informed, alert and cautious. The new law says drivers must provide a minimum of 3-feet of space while passing bicyclists on the road.
The bi-partisan legislation, recently signed by the governor, went into effect a little more than a week ago. It is designed to make the roads safer and save lives. Before this measure, Michigan was one of only 11 states that did not have a safe passing law. Between 2012 and 2016, bicyclist fatalities doubled in our state. But now beware! For those who violate the new law, there will be a fine and three points on their driver’s record.
Wisely, there are an increasing number of roads clearly marked as bicyclist paths. But most are not. Many are narrow roads where motorists and bike riders must share the same road and same direction. Where there is not three feet of room to pass, motorists must proceed with great caution.
The high volume of viewer response to a recent wxyz.com story about the new law indicates concern, confusion and questions about rules of the road for motorists and bicyclists. We strongly recommend you go to our web site to familiarize yourself with “Michigan Laws Pertaining to Bicyclists.” Read it carefully and pass it along to others. The wide-ranging information is extremely helpful! And doing so will help foster mutual respect between motorists and bicyclists.
We also encourage bike riders to wear bright, easy to see clothing on bicycles with flashing lights. Together, we can make Michigan a lot safer for those traveling our rural and urban roads on 2-wheels and 4-wheels or more.
I’m Mike Murri, Vice President & General Manager
Broadcast: October 11 - 14, 2018
