Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes

A series of bills proposed in the Michigan state legislature would protect cyclists and other vulnerable road users by strengthening the state’s laws against drivers who kill pedestrians or cyclists in crashes.

As David Horak explains in an article for Wood TV, “Under current law, drivers who kill or seriously injure a vulnerable road user are often charged with a misdemeanor, “moving violation causing death,” which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail.” In more severe cases, charges such as second degree murder have been brought, but these are an exception, creating a significant gap between a misdemeanor with little penalty and a second-degree murder charge.

Now, a proposed package of legislation would close the legal gap by introducing “new felony charges with penalties of up to 10 years in prison and a $7,500 fine for crashes that result in a death, and up to five years or $5,000 for serious injuries.”

According to Horak, “The updated legislation also consolidates earlier versions of the bills to streamline the process and improve their chances of passage.”