Kalamazoo is a popular urban city in the state of Michigan. It is perhaps most famous for its numerous distilleries and breweries – these attractions bring tourists from around the state and the rest of the country. While there is a fair amount of public transport in Kalamazoo, it’s still important to own a car if you’re a resident of the country. In this article, we’ll take a look at the best way to stay safe on roads in Kalamazoo.

Our company is committed to helping drivers stay safe on the roads and find the best insurance policies on the market using our car insurance estimate calculator. If you’re a current or future resident of Kalamazoo, this article will be extremely useful for you. Check out all the information below before you drive in the city!

Kalamazoo: Driving Conditions in the City

Like most cities in Michigan that are outside of Detroit, you won’t find too much traffic in Kalamazoo. This is breath of fresh air for those who are used to traffic-ridden cities. This being said, congestion can occur during certain hours of the day – keep your eye on local traffic reports and warnings.

If you’ve been to Michigan before, you probably understand the most prominent hazard is the weather. During the winter, large snow storms can cause major disruption to the roads. If you want to avoid problems, you need to pay attention to local weather reports and warnings – this is especially true in winter months. Icy roads can be extremely dangerous, especially if you don’t have experience driving in cold conditions. Don’t underestimate the danger that snow and ice can pose!

Driving Safely in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Staying safe on roads in Kalamazoo isn’t just about avoiding traffic and bad weather conditions – you also need to pay attention to local road laws and regulations. Each city and state has different laws, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the laws of the city you’re driving in. This section of our article is dedicated to helping you understand all the laws and regulations you need to adhere to on Kalamazoo roads. Check it out below!

Phone/Handheld Laws in Kalamazoo

Michigan had long been a state with extremely loose laws on phones and driving. Recently, the state finally passed a law that made it illegal to text and drive. While you can still talk on the phone while driving, those who text and drive can face a stiff fine of $100 for a first offense. If you are caught a second time, the fine will be raised to $200. Distracted driving is a huge problem in the United States, it’s important to understand how dangerous it is to drive while using your phone – people are killed on the roads every day because of distracted driving.

Seatbelt and Car Seat Laws in Kalamazoo

If you are over the age of 16, you only have to wear a seat belt if you are in the front seats of a vehicle in Michigan (driver’s or passenger seat). Those under the age of 16 must wear a seat belt, even if they are in the back seat of the car.

Car seat laws are slightly more complicated in Michigan. If your child is under the age of four, they must be secured in a traditional car seat that is in the rear of the vehicle. If they are under eight, but over the age of four, a traditional booster seat should be used to secure the child. Only children over 4’ 9” should use a normal belt while in a moving vehicle.

Helmet Laws in Kalamazoo

Those under the age of 21 in Michigan must wear a motorcycle helmet at all time while on a motorcycle – this related to both drivers and passengers. If you are over the age of 21, you can go without a helmet if you have at least $20,000 of medical coverage for personal injury. The Michigan state government wants to ensure you can cover your own medical costs if you are injured.

As you probably already know, riding a motorcycle without a helmet is one of the most dangerous things that you can do. You should always strap one on, even if you are over the age of 21.

Alcohol and Drug Laws (Driving)

The BAC limit for those over the age of 21 is in line with the rest of the country – you can’t be over .08. If you are under the age of 21, the limit is .02 – make sure not to drink any alcohol if you’re planning on driving while underage. For those who are caught, the penalties will depend on how many times you have been caught before and how intoxicated you are – those over .17 will have much harsher punishments.

For first-time offenders, the punishments include up to 93 days in jail, 360 hours of community service, $500 in fines, 30 days of license suspension, vehicle ignitions locks and more. Insurance rates will also go up a lot for you. There is a type of insurance called SR22 that will be required to legally drive any vehicle. If this sounds like a lot, it can get even worse if you are a repeat offender or if you are extremely intoxicated.

Kalamazoo Statistics

For a deeper understanding of risks on roads in Michigan, it’s important to understand the data. In 2017, over 314,000 accidents occurred on roads in Michigan. In addition, there were over 78,000 total injuries. In addition, in the same year over 1,000 people died on Michigan roads. As you can tell, there are plenty of reasons to be careful when driving on Kalamazoo and Michigan roads!

Verdict

If you’re looking to save money, one of the best things to do is change insurance providers. Many Americans overpay for insurance because they don’t know how many options they have. Our company partners with a range of great insurance companies to help you find cheap auto insurance in Michigan. If you have any questions about auto insurance, make sure to check out our website – we have tons of great articles that can give you a better understanding of average car insurance rates in the industry. We’re experts on everything to do with auto insurance!