Could a Change to Michigan’s Move Over Law Save Lives?

After two separate fatal crashes along busy I-94 happened within just days of each other in Southwest Michigan, I can't help but wonder if it isn't finally time for Michigan to follow suit and expand its Move Over Law to include non-emergency vehicles, like 19 other states have already done.

I mean, moving over for any disabled vehicle just seems like the right thing to do, doesn't it?

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Michigan Has a Move Over Law-- But Is It Enough?

As it stands currently, Michigan's Move Over Law only applies to, "stationary authorized vehicles with flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights activated." It's the use of the word "authorized" there that gets to me, because in my opinion, it seems safest standard practice to move over any time you see a vehicle sitting on the shoulder with its hazard lights flashing.

Isn't that the international symbol for "Hey, there’s somebody over here dealing with a problem"? Give them some room!

Here in West Michigan, we've heard the heartbreaking stories of tow-truck drivers and emergency personnel being fatally struck while on the job, and the community immediately comes together to stand up for the fallen. But why does it seem to go relatively unnoticed when civilian lives tragically end the same way?

Michigan State Police shared details on a double fatal crash involving a semi that occurred the morning of Tuesday, September 1 when,

...a semi tractor-trailer struck and fatally injured two motorists who were on the shoulder of the roadway after exiting their truck to check on a flat tire.  -- MSP Fifth District via X

Now, it's been years and years since I took driver's education, but I have to imagine they teach that it's common courtesy to move over for disabled vehicles.

But that's not enough for me. It needs to be the LAW. I'm tired of hearing about accidents like these, "authorized" vehicle or not.

In 19 states and Washington, DC, laws include moving over for all vehicles with flashing or hazard lights, such as: law enforcement, EMS, fire, highway maintenance, construction, utility, trash, and disabled vehicles. -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration