Smile. Michigan Moves Closer to Issuing Automated Speeding Tickets

Smile for the camera.

Speeding in a Michigan construction zone is about to become a costly move and your next speeding ticket may not come from a police officer wearing a uniform.

Automated Tickets in Michigan

While more than 20 states in the US are currently using cameras to issue tickets to speeding drivers or motorists who run red lights, Michigan is not one of them. (If you get a notification that you're being cited for a moving violation because you were caught on camera, that communication is likely a scam.)

SEE ALSO:  Watch a Bear With a Sweet Tooth Help Himself at Michigan Chocolate Shop

If you spot what looks like a traffic camera next to a red light, it's likely a sensor designed to help manage traffic flow through intersections.

Michigan Law is Changing

New legislation that would allow the use of traffic cameras in construction zones has gained a lot of traction and is close to becoming the law of the land.

House Bills 4132 and 4133, introduced last year, would amend Michigan law and allow the installation of cameras in construction zones where workers are present and where the is no barrier between construction workers and traffic.

The Michigan House of Representatives passed the bill last fall and a state Senate committee advanced the bill to the full Senate last month.

The bill has the support of both the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association.

What Are the Penalties?

Under the new legislation, the automated system will mail a warning to drivers who are caught going more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit in a construction zone. Subsequent violations will result in a ticket with fines ranging from $150 to $300.

MDOT says that speeding is the leading cause of fatal work zone crashes. In 2023, there were 20 fatal work zone crashes in Michigan.