Michigan drivers are well known for our roads and our drivers. In 2023, 21,357 vehicle crashes in Michigan were due to speeding and construction worker fatalities are increasing at a concerning rate. However, Michigan government officials are working to reduce injuries and deaths linked with driving via House Bill 4132 and 4214.

House Bill 4132

Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed a new bill that declares fines for those going 10+ mph in worker zones. Her goal is to reduce these growing injuries and deaths from reckless driving and by implementing this new law, she hopes to see a similar occurrence to when Maryland signed its version of the law which promptly reduced speeding by 85%.

House Bill 4132 will allow cameras to be placed in construction zones that will capture vehicle speeds. The construction area will be required to have a warning stating the presence of an Automated Speed Enforcement camera a mile before the encounter. If the recorded speed is ten or over the speed limit when the driver passes the camera, the Automated Speed Enforcement tool connected to the camera will note the license plate of the speeder and mail the ticket to the residence that corresponds to the plate number.

Thankfully, the Automated Speed Enforcement doesn’t immediately send a ticket. First, it will send the violator a warning with the date, time and location of the violation. However, if there is a repeat offense within three years of the warning, the driver will receive a $150 fine and if there is a third occurrence the fine will double.

Drivers will have the opportunity to contest their ticket, but for those that need to pay the fine they will be able to do so online. Michigan will have a secure website where these fees are able to be paid quickly without drivers having to go to a separate location to pay the fee.

House Bill 4214

This new technology is not only for road worker’s safety but for children’s safety as well. Buses for school aged children will have the enforcement camera installed on their stop signs to ensure vehicles come to a complete stop while children exit the bus.

It is important to note that these bus trackers will not be on at all times. They will operate only when the stop sign is extended and flashing lights and will turn off once the sign has been retracted by the bus driver. It may document the event with photos or video and any footage taken by the bus stop sign may also be requested as evidence if an investigation is conducted related to the violation.

Just like the fines for speeding in a work zone, fines accumulated from this offense will be available to pay online. The funding for bus tickets will go to a separate fund from speeding tickets; moving to an account devoted to funding transportation safety for local school districts.

Traffic violations have become a problem for Michigan, but we are developing new measures to keep everyone as safe as possible. If you need assistance defending yourself against a traffic violation, call Fausone & Grysko at (248) 380-0000 to see how we can help you.