There are different distracted driving laws in the United States. In the state of Michigan, it characterizes drivers into three main groups. There are drivers of motor vehicles, there are drivers of commercial motor vehicles and new drivers.
As we have discussed in a previous article on the series, a driver in Michigan is not allowed to use his cell phone when driving. It states the following:
“… a person shall not read, manually type, or send a text message on a wireless 2-way communication device that is located in the person’s hand or the person’s lap, including a wireless telephone used in cellular telephone service or personal communication service, while operating a motor vehicle that is moving on a highway or street in this state.”
While it is clear that the current distracted driving laws in Michigan only apply to the prohibition of texting from most drivers there are no other restrictions for those who are distracted behind the wheel.
After a rigorous passage of the no-fault law, the Michigan legislature is now looking at making some changes to the controlling law and is looking to pass a few changes in the Distracted Driving laws that cover distracted driving.
House Bill 4277
House Bill 4277 is the law that aims to cover the new changes. While multiple bills have been introduced to the legislature, the strongest one yet is House Bill 4277.
What is covered in House Bill 4277?
House Bill 4277 aims to provide very specific limitations on the use of mobile devices for those behind the wheel. There are specific prevention and limitations of additional mobile devices that are being considered in the legislation. For example, it is no longer just limited to the act of reading or typing, or communicating via your cell phone that is not allowed while you are driving. The bill is now very coral in terms of the acts that the person should not do while he is driving.
The bill prohibits the following:
- Use of a cell phone for the recording for the viewing of videos
- Wearing headphones such that your auditory senses are not accessible by the sound or the noise coming from your surroundings while driving
- The use of social media is also not allowed regardless of the type of device that you use.
The changes are meant to provide some much-needed updates to the use of technology while driving. At the time of the creation of the distracted driving law in Michigan the only problem that individuals had was accessing phone calls or reading and making text messages while they were driving.
Today with the rise of social media and all of the other applications that can be used by individuals there are a lot more reasons and ways to be distracted that should be covered by the law.
Are there exceptions?
Yes, the house bill provides that there are certain situations where the use of a cell phone is necessary while driving such as calling emergency services or using a GPS device using voice-activated technology, and first responders are also accepted from the use of technology while they are driving and on duty.
What are the penalties?
Under the proposed rules there are also stricter penalties that violators of the law would have to face.
For first-time offenders, a judge would be able to require payment of a fine of more than a hundred dollars for 16 hours of community service. Second-time offenders the fines or bigger with $250 and 24 hours of community service. Third-time offenders will get their license suspended for up to 90 days and also have a bigger fine and other penalties.
As of June 2022, the Bill has been favorably endorsed by the House Committee and it should pass into law very soon.
Call Your Lawyer Today
Violations of Michigan’s Distracted Driving laws form part of your permanent driving record. This may affect your insurance premiums, your infraction points, and even put you in jail if you are going to have a lot of violations in your record. It is a very serious matter that you should never take for granted.
If you have been charged with distracted driving in Michigan that you need assistance with, you should contact us today. A lawyer can help you get started with your defense. A lawyer at Haque Legal will see to it that your needs are met from beginning to the end of the proceedings. You are always in good hands with Haque Legal and what it has to offer.
Disclaimer:
The article that you have read is based on general applications of the law. It is not legal advice and it is not to be construed as any legal consultation with the firm. No client-attorney relationship is created when you read the articles we have provided.
Let us help you out.
If you are having trouble with the law relating to distracted driving, call us immediately. If you have any problem with the law or are seeking justice and truth, our numbers are standing by to take your call.
The post An Update On Current Distracted Driving Laws in Michigan appeared first on Haque Legal.