It’s important to be informed about traffic laws in Michigan. You never know what you truly know about the law of the roads. In this blog, Goldman and Associates will be going over the basics of traffic law, point system, and speeding. A traffic violation can lead you to have your license suspended or paying fines up to $300
Michigan Traffic Point System
Michigan uses a point demerit system in addition to the standard penalties for traffic and speeding violations. The point system is a straightforward and nuanced way to track a driver’s history of traffic violations and reckless driving. Each violation is given a point value based on the severity of the offense. Earning too many points in a short period of time could result in the suspension or even complete confiscation of your driver’s license.
- 2 points: driving 1-5 mph above speed limit, refusal to consent to a breathalyzer test, having an open container of alcohol in your car
- 3 points: Driving 11-15 mph over the speed limit, careless driving, disobeying a stop sign/traffic signal, improper passing, failure to stop at a railroad crossing, failure to stop for a school bus, disobeying a school crossing guard.
- 4 points: 16+ miles above the speed limit, drag racing, OWVI (operating while visibly impaired, testing for any alcohol content when you are under 21, failure to yield for emergency vehicles
- 6 points: Manslaughter, negligent homicide, any felony involving a motor vehicle, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to stop and identify yourself at the scene of a crash, reckless driving, BAC level above .08, refusal to take a chemical test, fleeing police
Once points have been imposed by a conviction, they will remain on your record for 2 years. A certain amount of points will cause your license to either be suspended or revoked. A suspended license can be reinstated (for a fee) at the end of the designated suspension period. You can reapply for a revoked license after 1 year. If your license is revoked a second time, then the waiting period before reapplication is 5 years.
In addition to the loss of your license, the accumulation of points (as well as the tickets that cause them) can also result in hikes in your auto insurance rates. Your driving record is the primary factor that auto insurance companies look at when determining how safe a driver you are. If the risk factor becomes too great, your insurer may refuse to cover at all. This is a huge problem because auto insurance is necessary in order to legally operate an automobile in Michigan.
When you accumulate points on your record, there are only two ways to remove them (other than preventing them from being imposed in the first place). The first method is to wait 2 years for your record to be cleansed. The other method is to participate in a basic driver improvement course (BDIC). The test will cause moving violations to be removed from your record, but the course can only be taken by the driver one in a lifetime.
Speeding
The essence of Michigan’s basic speeding law is that a motorist must always drive at a safe and reasonable speed, depending on the circumstances. A safe and reasonable speed is one which allows the motorist to come to a stop within a reasonable distance (i.e. before colliding with the car driving in front of you).
Even if the sign says 60 mph if there is fog everywhere and ice on the road, then driving at the posted speed limit could still be considered speeding. On the other hand, driving too slowly can also be unreasonable and dangerous. Driving 3 mph when the sign says 50 mph would also violate the basic speeding law even though it isn’t technically “speeding”. At the end of the day speeding is going to get you a ticket regardless. It’s better to follow the rules of the road and stay within the speed limit.
Conclusion
The general rule for the Michigan speed limit is decidedly more straightforward. You can be charged with speeding if you are traveling even 1mph above the speed limit. That being said, most traffic enforcement officers have better things to do than pull over every motorist who goes that fast. It should also be noted that the “speed limit” is not limited to the number posted on the sign.
For more information on Traffic Laws In the State of Michigan watch the video below and check out the Goldman and Associates YouTube channel for more videos on everything relating to law in Michigan. Make sure to give our attorneys a call if you have any questions.
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