Bills would create enhanced penalties for drivers who injure or kill a vulnerable roadway user, such as cyclists, pedestrians, and wheelchair users
LANSING, Mich. (April 17, 2025) – Today, Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) along with Sen. Thomas Albert (R-Lowell), Rep. Julie M. Rogers (D-Kalamazoo), and Rep. Pauline Wendzel (R-Watervliet), reintroduced bipartisan legislation to expand the statutory provision that provides enhanced penalties for a moving violation that causes injury to a “vulnerable roadway user.” Senate Bills 216–217 and House Bills 4334–4335 would expand protections afforded to vulnerable roadway users including 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,” Sen. 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.”
“This issue hits close to home for me — my dad was the victim of a hit-and-run accident,” Rep. Wendzel said. “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.
“This 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,” said Sen. Albert. “It’s a simple, easy-to-understand approach that would improve safety for everyone who works and drives on our roads.”
“From my perspective as the Interim Executive Director of LMB and a retired law enforcement officer, these new bills — and soon-to-be laws — are critically important. While enforcement alone isn’t the sole solution to reducing serious injuries and fatal crashes involving Vulnerable Roadway Users, it remains a vital component,” said Jeff Carek, interim Executive Director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists. “These bills highlight that significance by providing prosecutors with an additional tool to pursue justice. In cases where at-fault drivers might otherwise face minimal consequences, this legislation offers a path to accountability and a measure of peace for victims and their families.
“For far too long, Michigan’s laws have failed to adequately reflect the value of human life when that life is outside the protection of a vehicle,” Director Carek added. “This legislation sends a clear message: if you drive, you have a responsibility to the most vulnerable people around you. It creates accountability, promotes safer driving behavior, and ultimately will save lives. At LMB, we believe everyone deserves to feel safe getting to their destination, no matter their means of travel. These bills are a critical step toward a culture of a shared responsibility on our roads and we strongly urge our Michigan Legislature to pass them without delay.”
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.