Most states have a distracted driving law that limits what you are allowed to do on your phone while behind the wheel. In recent years, we’ve seen major crackdowns on distracted driving, including harsher penalties and additional prohibited distracted driving actions. Michigan is one of the states that recently updated its distracted driving law. What does that mean for Michigan drivers?
What is distracted driving?
Distracted driving is anything that takes your hands off the steering wheel and/or your mind or eyes off the road. Some distracted driving actions include:
- Texting
- Talking on a cell phone (even if you’re using a Bluetooth device)
- Looking at yourself in the rearview mirror
- Reaching for an object that fell on the floor
- Looking over at your passengers
- Driving with a pet in your lap
This is just a short list. There are countless distractions you’ll need to avoid while driving.
Is distracted driving a big deal in Michigan?
In short, yes. Michigan reported 16,543 distracted driving crashes in 2021, which was up from the previous year. Of those crashes, at least 2,784 involved cell phone use. The vast majority of these collisions could have been avoided.
What is Michigan’s new cell phone law?
Governor Whitmer recently signed a bill making it illegal to manually use a cell phone or any other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle on Michigan’s roads. What does that mean, exactly?
In Michigan, it is illegal to do the following manual actions on electronic devices while operating a vehicle: these laws apply even if you’re stopped at a traffic light or in gridlock traffic, though they do not include being legally parked.
- Make or answer a telephone call or video call
- Send or read a text, email, or any other type of message or notification
- Watch, record, or send a video or picture
- Access, read, or post to social media
- Use the internet
- Enter information into your GPS or navigation system
This means that, as a driver, you cannot use your hands beyond a single touch to operate a cell phone or other electronic device while driving, even if it’s mounted on your dashboard or connected to the vehicle’s built-in controls. You cannot hold or support your phone or other electronic device with any part of your body (e.g., hands, arms, or shoulders) while operating a vehicle on Michigan’s roads.
The only time you are able to use an electronic device beyond a single swipe while operating a vehicle is to call or text 911 in an emergency.
What are the consequences for distracted driving in Michigan?
The penalties for distracted driving are severe in Michigan. Holding or manually using a cell phone or other electronic mobile device while operating a vehicle is a primary offense. This means that you can be stopped and ticketed by law enforcement for violating this law.
The first violation includes a $100 fine and/or 16 hours of community service.
The second or subsequent violations come with a $250 fine and/or 24 hours of community service.
If you get three violations within a three-year period, you’ll be required to take a driving-improvement course (such as Safe2Drive’s online Michigan Basic Driver Improvement course).
If the violation results in a collision and the at-fault driver was holding or manually using an electronic device when the collision occurred, all civil fines will be doubled.
3 Tips for Preventing Distracted Driving
Here are some easy ways to make sure you do not use an electronic device while driving:
- Utilize "Do Not Disturb." This will help curb your temptation to check your phone notifications. Use "driving mode" if your phone has it, which lets anyone who contacts you know you are driving at the moment and will get back to them later. You can also find free applications that do something similar.
- If you have a passenger, let them control your electronics.
- Program your navigation system and choose your music before you start your drive. If you need to make adjustments beyond a single touch, pull over in a safe and legal spot to do so.
All in all, Michigan’s new distracted driving law is a step in the right direction. Hopefully this law will help bring down the number of preventable distracted driving collisions each year.
Are you a Michigan driver who needs to take a Basic Driver Improvement course? We’ve got you covered! Our online Michigan Basic Driver Improvement course is a convenient and easy way to satisfy a court order to avoid points from being added to your driving record. Visit our website to learn more about our online Michigan Basic Driver Improvement course.
Insurance costs always seem to be going up. That’s why we offer online Insurance Discount courses. You can take our online Insurance Discount course in order to receive a discount on your insurance (just make sure to check with your insurance provider first to see if they offer this discount). We also have an online Mature Driver course for those age 55 or older who want to get a discount on their insurance.
Even if you don’t live in Michigan, Safe2Drive is here to help! We offer convenient online courses for drivers of any age! Visit our website today to learn about the online courses we offer in your state.