Flashing Lights? Slow Down Under Senate's 'Move Over' Law Reform

(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/24/2025) The Senate Tuesday passed updates to Michigan's "Move Over" traffic laws for motorists who encounter pulled-over emergency vehicles with flashing or rotating lights, creating a new $750 civil fine for not slowing down.

Tuesday the Senate passed SB 216 by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) and SB 217 by Sen. Thomas Albert (R-Lowell), which both require caution when passing emergency vehicles and set up new fines and fees for motorists who hit bicyclists, roller skaters, pedestrians and equestrians.

Under the legislation, a motorist who hits a "vulnerable roadway user," causing a serious injury that requires hospital treatment or care from a rehabilitation facility will face a $5,000, five-year felony. In cases of the death of a vulnerable roadway user, the driver will face a $7,500, 10-year felony.

As for passing an emergency vehicle with active lights – like rear and front warning lights or flashing red, blue or white lights – without "due caution and care," a motorist can be charged a $750 civil fine.

"This legislation includes a simplified and more comprehensive 'Move Over Law' to better protect everyone. The state's 'Move Over Law' should apply any time to any vehicle that's pulled over with its lights flashing. I believe we need better enforcement of the 'Move Over Law,'" Albert said.

While speaking on the Senate floor, Albert described how his involvement in the bills' issues came from a meeting with the family of Keagan Spencer. Spencer was a 25-year-old tow-truck driver who died after being struck by a vehicle in November 2023. The incident occurred in Kent County.

According to Michigan State Police, Spencer pulled over when on the job towing trucks to try to rescue a dog running loose on the M-6 freeway.

"There have been many other tragic incidents across our state involving those at a greater risk on the road, including law enforcement, bicyclists, pedestrians and people just pulled over to try to change a tire," Albert said. "The Spencer family deserves a great deal of credit, and thanks for raising awareness about the need for change related to traffic safety."

Albert said no piece of legislation is going to magically make Michigan's roads perfectly safe, "but this vote today is an important step in the right direction."

There have been multiple efforts in Lansing to ramp up the state's penalties for drivers hitting cyclists and pedestrians, often linked to the June 2016 incident of nine cyclists being hit by a pickup truck in the Kalamazoo area. Five of them were killed and four were injured.

"Whether walking to a friend's house, cycling out on rural roads, or crossing the street in a wheelchair – everyone deserves to use our roads to get to where they need to go safe and sound," McCann said in a press release. "By increasing accountability for drivers to share the roads with all who navigate them, we can prevent needless tragedies from occurring and ultimately save lives." 

Sens. Jon Bumstead (R-North Muskegon), John Damoose (R-Harbor Springs), Michele Hoitenga (R-Manton), Jonathan Lindsey (R-Coldwater) and Lana Theis (R-Brighton) voted against SB 216, and Sens. Joseph Bellino JR. (R-Monroe), Bumstead, Damoose, Hoitanga, Lindsey and Theis voted against SB 217, which places the new sentencing guidelines in Michigan's Code of Criminal Procedure.