NeedforStricterLegislationProtectingBicyclists,Pedestrians,Wheelchair

UsersonRoadwaysisClear

ByMikeMaisner

InOctoberoflastyear,theMichiganHouseCriminalJusticeCommitteepassedbipartisanlegislation
aimedatmakingroadssaferforvulnerableroadwayuserssuchasbicyclists,pedestriansandthose
usingadaptivedevicessuchaswheelchairs.

ThelanguageinHouseBills5080and4792wouldexpandpenaltiesfordriverswhoinjureorkilla
pedestrian,wheelchairuserorbicyclist.Thisisastepintherightdirectiontomakedriversmoreaware
andgivethosewhomustsharetheroadwaywithmotorvehiclesmoresecurity.

Thislegislation,liketheCompleteStreetsordinancespassedbymanylocalgovernments,keepsallroad
usersinmind.Ifpassed,lawsoriginallywrittenforworkersinconstructionzones,childrenindesignated
schoolzones,peopleoperatingorridingontractorsandotherfarmequipmentwouldbeextendedto
bicyclists,pedestriansandthoseusingpersonalmobilitydevicessuchaswheelchairs.

Injuringavulnerableroadwayusercouldleadtoamisdemeanorchargepunishablebyuptooneyear
injailand/orafineupto$1,000.Causingapersonsdeathcouldleadtoafelonychargepunishableby
upto15yearsand/orafineupto$7,500.Withrecentinitiativestoencouragemorepeopletowalkor
ridetheirbikestoworkandschool,thesebillshelppromotepublicsafetybysendingaclearmessage
thatdriversmustbemindfulofthesafetyofotherssharingtheroadwaywiththem.

HealthyKids,HealthyMichigan,astatewidecoalitiondedicatedtofightingchildhoodobesity,supports
thislegislationbecauseitprovidessafetytostudentswhilesupportingandencouragingphysicalactivity.
AsthelegislativechairforHKHM,Iampleasedwithlawmakerscontinuingeffortstomakethe
communitysaferandmoreactive.AsmorelocalgovernmentspassCompleteStreetsordinancesand
resolutionsthatencouragethedesignandoperationoftheroadwaystoaccommodateallusers,andas
thestatecreatesmoretrailwaysforpedestrians,cyclistandotherslegislationspenalizingmotoristswho
donttaketheseusersintoaccountisneeded.

Asalways,Iencourageparentstoallowtheirchildrentowalkorridetheirbikestoschoolinareasthat
aresafetodoso.Thislegislationgearedtowardsaferstreetsshouldprovidemoreopportunitiestodo
so.AtHealthyKids,HealthyMichiganwenotonlystrivetoteachourchildrenhealthychoicesbut,
encourageactivitiestopromotehealthylifestyles.

Iencouragethepassageofthisvulnerableroadwayuserlegislationtohelppushforasafer,healthier
Michigan!

MikeMaisnerislegislativechairmanofHealthyKids,HealthyMichigan,acoalitiondedicatedto
reducingchildhoodobesityinMichiganbyencouragingmorephysicalactivity.

###