Michigan · Handbook chapter 4 · 7 min read

Chapter 4: Phones, seat belts, speed and work zones

Michigan's hands-free phone law and Kelsey's Law, seat belt and child seat rules, air bags, default speed limits, work zones, green maintenance lights, emergency vehicles and school buses.

Why this chapter matters

This chapter covers the everyday laws that apply every time you drive: phones, seat belts, speed limits, work zones and what to do when an emergency vehicle or school bus has its lights on. The figures here, from $100 phone fines to the 20-foot school bus rule, are favorite test material.

Distracted driving

Distraction comes in three forms: your eyes leave the road, your hands leave the wheel, or your mind drifts from driving. Each one is a danger. Your brain cannot give full attention to two tasks at once: in the quarter second it takes to switch attention, a car at 65 mph travels about 24 feet.

The phone law

Michigan's general cell phone law bans all drivers from holding or using a mobile device on a public road. That includes calls, texts, video and social media.

• Fines: $100 for a first offense, $250 for later offenses.
• Allowed: GPS or navigation if you do not type by hand; voice-operated or hands-free use, where a single tap or swipe starts or ends a function; the vehicle's built-in screens; a dash cam; a device in a mount used in one of these allowed ways.
• Emergencies: any driver may call or text 9-1-1, police, a health provider or fire department to report a crash, medical emergency, serious road hazard, fire, crime, hazardous materials or a reckless or impaired driver.
• Kelsey's Law: drivers with a GDL Level 1 or Level 2 license may not make or take any non-emergency calls, even hands-free.

Before you set off, plan your route, set your radio and playlist, settle children and finish grooming. Make calls only when safely parked.

Seat belts

Police may stop a vehicle just because people are not buckled up. Michigan law requires:

• The driver and all front seat passengers to wear a belt.
• All passengers under 16 to be belted in every seat.
• Children under 8, or under 4 feet 9 inches tall, to ride in a car seat or booster seat (whichever limit is reached first ends the requirement).

Wear the shoulder belt across the middle of your chest, away from your neck, and the lap belt low across your hips. A driver exempt for medical reasons must carry a doctor's statement.

Children and teens

• Children under 4 must ride in a rear seat if the vehicle has one, unless all rear seats are already taken by children under 4.
• A rear-facing child seat may go in the front only if the passenger air bag is turned off.
• Never take a child out of a car seat to nurse while the vehicle is moving.
• Anyone under 18 may not ride in the open bed of a pickup going faster than 15 mph, with exceptions for farm, construction, military, parade and emergency use.
• It is illegal to leave a child under 6 alone in a vehicle when the time or conditions create an unreasonable risk. A supervisor aged 13 or older is allowed.
• Replace any child seat that has been in a crash, and avoid secondhand seats.

Air bags

Air bags add protection but do not replace seat belts. Sit with at least 10 inches between your breastbone and the center of the steering wheel, and keep children 12 and younger in the back seat.

Speed limits

Michigan's Basic Speed Law means you must always drive at a careful and prudent speed that lets you stop within the clear distance ahead. That is never faster than the posted limit and may be slower in poor conditions.

School buses and trucks are limited to 65 mph on freeways, or 55 mph where the freeway limit is below 70.

Work zones

• Work zone warning signs are diamond shaped, black on orange (or yellow).
• Workers directing traffic must be obeyed, even if their directions conflict with a sign or signal.
• The limit for most work zones is 45 mph unless posted otherwise. Some zones apply 45 mph only where workers are present.
• Fines are doubled for moving violations in work zones.
• Speeding points in work zones: 3 points for 10 mph or less over, 4 points for more than 10 up to 15 over, 5 points for more than 15 over.
• Injuring or killing someone in a work zone can mean fines up to $7,500 and up to 15 years in prison.
• Where lanes merge, follow the signs and orange-and-white barrels telling you when and how to merge.

Maintenance vehicles with green lights

State and local road agency vehicles may show flashing green lights along with amber ones while doing road work. Green is used because the eye sees it best, even in snow or dust. Private contractors may not use green lights. When you see them, slow down and drive with caution.

Emergency vehicles

When an emergency vehicle approaches with red and blue lights and a siren:

• Pull over to the right edge of the road, clear of intersections, and stop.
• Stay stopped until it passes; more than one may be coming. Keep your foot on the brake so your brake lights show.
• Stay at least 500 feet behind a moving emergency vehicle with lights and siren on, and never pass it unless told to.

When you see a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing red, blue or amber lights (including tow trucks and road service vehicles):

• Slow to at least 10 mph below the posted limit and move over a lane if it is safe.
• If you cannot move over, slow down and leave as much room as you can.
• Failing to do so is a civil infraction, or a felony if emergency personnel are hurt or killed. For stopped garbage trucks, utility vehicles and road maintenance vehicles it is a misdemeanor.

School buses

• When a bus's red overhead lights are flashing, stop at least 20 feet away and stay stopped until the lights go off or the bus moves on.
• Yellow overhead lights flashing mean be ready to stop. Yellow hazard lights flashing mean go ahead with caution.
• If a median, island or other barrier splits the highway, traffic on the far side from the bus does not have to stop. Vehicles on the same side must stop.
• Fines for not stopping are doubled, and not stopping costs 3 points.