Michigan drivers must now stay 200 feet away from active snowplows [Video]

(WXMI) — No one’s thinking about snow in the middle of July, but a new state law will impact how drivers behave around snowplows when the flakes start falling.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently signed a bill requiring drivers to keep at least 200 feet away from active snowplows in Michigan, according to the Van Buren County Road Commission (VBCRC).

“This law is about changing drivers’ habits,” says VBCRC Managing Director Bret Witkowski. “200 feet sounds like a lot of distance until you find yourself coming up on a snowplow that’s traveling at only about 20–30 mph. Then that distance will close in real quick. For a point of reference, 200′ is roughly comparable to 13 car lengths.”

We’re told it is now also illegal to drive within 20 feet of a stopped snowplow before an intersection. This ensures snowplow drivers have enough space to back up in order to clear …