LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – With winter snow predicted to make it’s first appearance in many areas of the lower peninsula this weekend, Michigan drivers need to gear up and brush up on a frosty new law designed to keep roads safer during snowplow season. Here’s the scoop before you find yourself skating on thin ice with a $100 fine.

Give plows their snow space.

Under the new rule, Senate Bill 465, signed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer at the end of July, drivers must stay at least 200 feet behind active snowplows – that’s about 13 car lengths. When these road-clearing behemoths are salting, sanding, or plowing with their lights blazing, keeping your distance isn’t just a courtesy – it’s the law. At intersections or when snowplows are stopped, the buffer shrinks to 20 feet. And the law doesn’t apply when a driver is trying to pass a snowplow.

Snowplow smash-ups.

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Violating the rule could put more than your wallet at risk – it could also be very unsafe. The stats are chilling: WOOD-TV reports that over the past five years, 114 crashes involving snowplows have been reported in Michigan, with nearly 20 incidents annually.

These aren’t your everyday fender benders – collisions with vehicles weighing up to 80,000 pounds can pack a brutal punch. The added distance gives drivers precious seconds to react in slippery conditions, avoiding accidents caused by poor visibility or sudden stops.

Winter crashes: no one wants to be left out in the cold.

State Senator Sam Singh, the sponsor of the bill, emphasized that this law isn’t just about keeping snowplows safe but ensuring every driver can navigate Michigan’s icy roads without incident.

“Snowplows need room to groom,” said Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson John Richard. And let’s be real – when the plows are creating tidal waves of snow, you don’t want to be riding their bumper.