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Survivor of Kalamazoo bike crash testifies for new cycling law

Posted at 5:05 PM, Sep 20, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-20 21:02:31-04

LANSING, Mich. - A survivor of the bicycling crash that killed five people in Kalamazoo testified in Lansing Tuesday for legislation that would make roads safer for cyclists.

Lawmakers are considering a bill that would require drivers to maintain a distance of at least five feet when passing a cyclist.  Supporters say Michigan is one of only seven states that doesn't have a "safe passing law."

Jennifer Johnson is one of the survivors of a cycling crash in Kalamazoo this past June.  Five people were killed and four were injured.  Johnson testified how she and her fellow cyclists were doing everything right, wore helmets and protective gear and obeyed the rules of the road that night and now the legislature should do what is right themselves.

The bill will now be moved to the Senate for consideration.  Right now, there is a lot of support from the cycling community, but the Secretary of State's office opposes it.