Senate Bill 896 Summary

• Amends Michigan Vehicle Code Section 627 to establish a "basic speed law" requiring drivers to operate vehicles at careful and prudent speeds appropriate to conditions, with violations referred to as VBSL (violation of basic speed law).

• Creates statutory speed limits based on highway characteristics: 15 mph in mobile home parks, 25 mph in business districts and public parks, 25-45 mph in residential subdivisions based on vehicular access point density (ranging from 60+ points to 30-39 points per half-mile).

• Establishes general speed limits: 80 mph on rural limited access freeways, 70 mph on urban limited access freeways, 65 mph on trunk line highways, and 60 mph on county highways, with 55 mph minimum speeds on freeways.

• Allows speed limits in work zones to be decreased by up to 10 mph below posted limits (minimum 30 mph) and permits 45-60 mph limits on limited access freeways depending on construction conditions.

• Repeals MCL 257.629 and 257.629c and conditions effectiveness on simultaneous enactment of Senate Bills 894, 895, 897, and 898.