What does State Law say about the color, type and quantity of lights I can have on my vehicle?

Michigan Law dictates what types and colors of lights you can have on your vehicle.  The following sections of law apply:     257.696 , 257.697 , 257.698  and  257.699 .  The law dictates that:

• you may display only white and/or amber lights on the front of your vehicle (technically, the blue headlight bulbs are illegal). 
• At the rear of the vehicle you may only have red or amber lights, except the reverse and license plate lights.  Your stop lights must be visible from 100 feet, day or night. 
• Lights visible from the sides of a vehicle must be amber or red. 
• Lights must be maintained in good working order.
• 257.698 (4) Unless both covered and unlit, a vehicle driven on the highways of this state shall not be equipped with a lamp or a part designed to be a reflector unless expressly required or permitted by this chapter...  This makes it unlawful to have the under-body neon lights that are popular elsewhere.
• 257.698 (5) The use or possession of flashing, oscillating, or rotating lights of any color is prohibited except as otherwise provided by law...   This makes the chase lights unlawful.

Michigan Law requires the following for occupants of motor vehicles on public roads, streets and highways:

• All passengers between 0 and 3 years old must be properly secured in an approved child restraint system.  (Sec 257.10d)  The driver will be ticketed for violations of this section.
• All passengers between 4 and 15 must wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt.  (Sec 257.10e)  The driver will be ticketed for violations of this section.
• The vehicle driver and any front-seat passengers must wear a properly adjusted and fastened safety belt.  (Sec 257.10e)  The violating occupant will be ticketed for violations of this section.

There are exceptions permitted under the law:

Child Restraint Exemptions for children under 4 years of age when:

• they are a passenger in a bus, school bus, taxicab, moped, motorcycle or other motor vehicle not required to be equipped with safety belts.
• they are being nursed.
• they qualify for a Secretary of State rule exemption due to size, medical problem or physical unfitness

Safety Belt Exemptions for:

Driver or passenger when:

• in a motor vehicle manufactured prior to January 1, 1965 or
• in a bus, motorcycle or moped or
• who has written verification from a physician for physical or medical reasons or
• who is in a motor vehicle which, under federal law, is not required to be equipped with safety belts, or
• in a commercial or US Postal vehicle that makes frequent stops, or
• is a rural Postal Carrier, while serving their route.

Exemptions which apply to Passengers Only when:

• in a school bus (the driver must wear safety belt), or
• 4 years old or older, but less than 16 in rear seats if all available belts are used and the driver and all front-seat passengers are properly belted, or
• 4 years old or older but less than 16, in front seat of a pickup without an extended cab or jump seats, if all available belts are used.

Important points to remember:

• Violations of Michigan's Seat Belt Laws are civil infractions.
• Citations issued for violations do not result in points on your driver's license.
• 257.710.e(6) Failure to wear a safety belt in violation of this section may be considered evidence of negligence and may reduce the recovery for damages arising out of the ownership, maintenance, or operation of a motor vehicle. However, such negligence shall not reduce the recovery for damages by more than 5%.
• Seat belts must be properly adjusted - which means they must be worn as designed by the manufacturer.  If a shoulder harness is present it must be worn, and not tucked behind the arm.
• Seat belts must be fastened - which means they must be secured as designed by the manufacturer, not held in place by hand or other means in order to give the appearance that they are being worn.

Section 257.682b of the Uniform Traffic Code says that you shall not allow passengers in the open bed of your pickup truck, except as follows:

• The passenger is 18 years of age or older, or
• The vehicle does not travel more than 15 miles per hour while the open bed is occupied, or
• The vehicle is part of a parade pursuant to a permit issued by the governmental unit with jurisdiction over the highway or street, or
• The vehicle is a military vehicle, an authorized emergency vehicle, is operated by employer or employee of a farm operation or construction business, or
• Is being used to transport a search and rescue team to or from the site of an emergency.

Violations of the section are a civil infraction.

The City provides a skateboard park in one of the tennis courts of Scidmore Park.  Skateboards may also be used on private property, and on most City sidewalks, so long as the flow of pedestrian traffic is not impeded.  Skateboards may not be used on sidewalks in the downtown area.  Skateboards may not be used on any roadway within the City.

By City ordinance you are allowed to burn waste materials on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 Am until 7:00 PM.  You can also burn on Saturdays from 9:00 am until 5:00 PM.

You must attend your fire, and must have a water source available to extinguish a blaze which becomes out of control.  All fires must be contained  in a substantial metal container, except recreational bonfires.  Yard waste, leaves, or other items which emit a large amount of smoke may not be burned.  You must not burn garbage or other substances which emit strong or foul odors.

• All children 11 years of age or younger are required to be in a residence by 10:00 PM unless accompanied by a parent.
• Children who are between the ages of 12 and 16 must be in a residence by midnight.

A new law passed in 2003 could have a big impact on your wallet if you're not a careful driver.  Click here for more information.