New laws just passed that require drivers to give bikes a three-foot safety distance when passing on the left and right. Our “Just Drive” Michigan Auto Law attorney, Brandon Hewitt, stopped by to help us understand these new safety measures.
House Bills 4185 and 4198 were approved by Governor Rick Snyder on June 28, 2018. Now known as the Public Act of 279 and 208, the acts state that motorists passing bicyclists on the left and right must allow a three-foot safety distance between them and the bike.
Michigan’s driver education curriculum will now include at least one hour of instruction on laws pertaining to bicycles, motorcycles and other vulnerable roadway users, including pedestrians.
According to the Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), Michigan bicycle fatalities doubled from 2012 to 2016, increasing from 19 deaths to 38.
An OHSP analysis of crash data from 2010 to 2014 suggests that about 25% of accidents involving bicycles and motor vehicles, occur during overtaking and passing.
For more information on these new laws and Michigan Auto Law, visit https://www.michiganautolaw.com.
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