4/30/24 - Operation Ghost Rider Goes Into Effect In Michigan

State law enforcement officers team up to reduce distracted driving deaths and injuries.

-Operation Ghost Rider has been in effect in Michigan since 2017.  The latest operation went into effect Monday, April 29,2024.

The operation uses unmarked spotter vehicles looking for distracted drivers.  They then radio to a marked vehicle to make a traffic stop.

Statistics show that drivers who use a hand-held device are four times more likely to be in a crash that is serious enough to cause injury.  Drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash.

Michigan recently implemented a law that makes it illegal to manually use a cell phone or other mobile electronic device while operating a vehicle on Michigan roads.   Under the law, a driver cannot hold or support a phone or other device with any part of their hands, arms, or shoulders.  Even if a cell phone is mounted, a driver cannot use their hands to operate it beyond a single touch. 

Penalties are: first violation, $100 fine and/or 16 hours of community service; second or subsequent violations, $250 fine and/or 24 hours of community service; three violations within a three-year period, driver must complete a driving-improvement course. Violators can be cited for careless driving, a three-point offense and civil infraction punishable by a fine. Fines are doubled if a traffic crash occurs and the at-fault driver was holding or manually using a mobile device while operating the vehicle.

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