If you live in Michigan and use our roadways, I strongly encourage you to take 5 minutes to read this excellent article by Kyla King of the Michigan Press. I won’t reiterate her exposition of common misconceptions of Michigan’s traffic laws, but I do want to take a moment to address a related issue: motor vehicle safety.
Although our state has recently taken steps to ensure first-time and teenage drivers are familiar with traffic safety laws, most motorists have simply formed “driving habits” that may or may not conform to the law. These poor habits can range anywhere from harmless to annoying to unsafe. While many drivers are concerned about avoiding detection and thus dodging a ticket, few people seem to realize that these behaviors jeopardize the safety of everybody on the road.
Even if you think you know it all when it comes to traffic laws and safety, you may want to take a few moments to refresh your understanding of the rules of the road. These are not lessons you want to learn the hard way.