Government
Bills would create 5-foot buffer for bicyclists
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BY ISAAC CONSTANS
Capital News Service
LANSING — Michigan roads could become slightly safer for bicyclists in the upcoming year. Bills in the House and Senate would require drivers to give cyclists more breathing room and set specific standards for bicycle safety instruction in driver’s education courses. Under one provision, cars would be required to give cyclists a 5-foot cushion when passing — a standard already enforced in many states and some Michigan localities. The second bill would require that driver’s education courses dedicate an hour to learning how to share the road with “vulnerable roadway users.”
Bicycling safety has been especially salient since a pickup truck plowed into a group of cyclists outside of Kalamazoo last June, killing five and seriously injuring four. The incident motivated Sen. Margaret O’Brien, R-Portage, to introduce the bills, which are cosponsored by Sen. David Knezek, D-Dearborn Heights.