And lawmakers, eager to keep their constituents alive and kicking and protect the public safety in general, were all too happy to help.

Last week Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signed the proposed measure into law, extending the state’s .08% BAC drunk driving limit until 2018.

Separately, Washington State legislators also approved measures to extend the .08% BAC drunk driving limit to anyone who drives a boat, snowmobile or ATV, however Gov. Snyder made no guarantee that he would sign those measures into law.

One thing students of our Michigan defensive driving course understand is how much alcohol influences their behavior behind the wheel. Whether that wheel is used to operate a motor car, or a boat; a motorcycle or an ATV, the results are the same and often disastrous. Your reaction times are greatly diminished, as is your ability to judge distances, and/or make any kind of judgement at all.

Whether or not the law in your state sets a legal limit for the amount of alcohol you can consume before operating one of those vehicles, we recommend you don’t consume any alcohol at all; have a good time, be safe and arrive alive.

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The test is being funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation who spent $25 million outfitting thousands of cars with an assortment of software and communication equipment designed to allow them to communicate with each other automatically and warn drivers if a collision if possible. This allows for drivers to be warned if a car ahead of them – perhaps one they cannot see-suddenly slows down, or if they try to change lanes without looking and are in danger of a collision.

The software and hardware upgrades do not allow the computer to take over control of the vehicle in the event of a possible collision. They just provide a warning light, perhaps a buzz or ringing, or even a warning voice over the vehicle speakers, “Danger, Vehicle Ahead.” It is believed that even a small warning might be enough to prevent accidents and that is exactly what they are hoping to see from this test.

A sampling of three thousand drivers in Michigan is enough for them to determine whether or not the system works as hoped. once they can retrieve the data, analyze their findings and consult with number crunchers, the results of this test could mean big changes for the vehicles of tomorrow.

Not everyone is happy with this type of autonomous monitoring, however. Privacy advocates worry that GPS tracking systems in vehicles will lead to further privacy risks for drivers and vehicle owners. Also, a move is on in Congress and in many states to begin taxing drivers based on the number of miles they drive. And having GPS devices already installed in vehicles from the manufacturers would make it much easier to conduct these types of “tax tests.”

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Michigan State Police like police across the country were participating in the national Click It or Ticket campaign. This enforcement period is conducted during the busiest driving holiday and at the start of the busiest driving season for a reason. It aims to focus police efforts on forcing drivers to use the most effective safety equipment on your vehicle: seat belts.

Seat belts have been in use for decades and repeated studies have shown them to be highly effective in preventing injury or even death in the event of a vehicle crash. Despite a preponderance of evidence some drivers continue to avoid using them. This may fly in the face of logic, but it remains a very solid fact.

To enforce existing seat belt laws the nation’s police force regularly participate in partially federally funded Click It or Ticket programs which helps offset the cost of additional patrols meant to find and ticket drivers (and any passengers) who refuse to buckle up. Ticket costs can vary, but you can bet you will shell out about $100 on average no matter where you are when you get caught.

Michigan has been conducting annual Click It or Ticket campaigns for more than a decade and every year the number of tickets wavers. Some years drivers seem more reluctant to buckle up than others. Studies have also shown that obese drivers are less likely to use their seat belts than those who not obese. In Texas, drivers of pick-up trucks are also less likely to wear a seat belt than those who operate a passenger car.

Regardless of what you drive, wearing a seat belt can save your life and help you avoid getting a ticket.
For other specific laws pertaining to Michigan and beneficial general driving information and advice, it is very worthwhile to take a Michigan Driver Improvement Course. As an added benefit, you can take the course to dismiss a moving violation ticket.

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Lately distracted driving has been getting all the attention, especially following the release of a report by the National Transportation Safety Board which showed there were more fatalities attributed to distracted driving crashes than those caused by DUI. But does nothing to diminish the fact that driving under the influence of alcohol is just as deadly as it has always been.

In fact, given the increased number of cars on the road today, drunk driving is even more dangerous than it has ever been before.

Which is likely what prompted Michigan police to launch a Spring offensive against drivers who might have had a few drinks before getting behind the wheel.

More than 165 agencies in 26 counties participated in the offensive which resulted in 79 drivers being charged under the state’s new “Super Drunk” legal limit of 0.17 or higher. Plus, another 300 or so arrested for having a blood alcohol content of .08 or above. Less than “Super Drunk” but still too drunk to be on the road driving.

Nicknamed, “Over the Limit. Under Arrest.” the Michigan crackdown lasted from March 13 to April 2. It resulted in nearly 4,000 citations or arrests, and 8,083 traffic stops all of which centered on DUI enforcement.

Distracted driving is easy enough to counter: just don’t allow anything to take your attention away from your driving and you’ll be ok. Unfortunately when your thinking is impaired by drugs or alcohol your common sense goes out the window and you end up doing stupid things because you simply cannot stop yourself. Fortunately for everyone the police in every state are watching out for them, and for us.

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Michigan uses a graduated licensing system and the new law would only target those drivers with a Level 1 or Level 2 graduated not license which has some saying it does not go nearly far enough to fight the rising dangers of distracted driving. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has been calling for all states to make texting while driving illegal for anyone who gets behind the wheel.

The NHTSA said studies have shown that distracted driving now accounts for more fatal crashes than any other type of impaired driving, including driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Traffic school teaches everyone who successfully completes the course the importance of being fully aware of everything going on around you every time you get behind the wheel.

News flash: You are not fully aware if you are sending or receiving a text message or even just talking on the phone.

By limiting who can use their smartphone or handheld device while driving, Michigan lawmakers are at least acknowledging that they recognize there is inherent danger for some drivers who face distractions behind the wheel. The NHTSA wants that same sort of acknowledgement that distracted driving is dangerous for everyone, no matter how much experience they have behind the wheel.

In time, Michigan lawmakers and lawmakers around the country may finally recognize that they can make a dramatic impact on their constituents by prohibiting the use of handheld devices by anyone who is driving a vehicle. They will not only reduce insurance rates which have been going up as a result of the increased number crashes caused by distracted driving, but also, likely, save quite a few lives.

Image: aeypix / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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