LANSING, Mich. – Intersections where traffic lights are not working are now officially four-way stops in Michigan.
Lt. Governor Brian Calley signed Senate Bill 521 into law Tuesday, according to State Senator Rick Jones, who proposed the bill. It is now Public Act 109 of 2018.
Previously, Michigan law dictated that the vehicle on the busier road had the right-of-way, which sometimes is not obvious.
“This is about improving safety on our roads when the power is out and a traffic light isn’t working,” said Jones, R-Grand Ledge, in a press release. “It can be dangerous if two drivers have different expectations when approaching an intersection where the traffic light is out. If one driver thinks everyone is stopping and another driver thinks he has the right of way, that’s a recipe for disaster.”
The new law does not apply to traffic lights that are only active during certain time periods.
