New Michigan law: dark lights are NOW treated as 4-way stop

DETROIT (WJBK) - Michigan lawmakers have passed a new bill that some say just makes sense: if you come up on an intersection that doesn't have power, it will now be treated as a four-way stop.

Lt. Governor Brian Calley signed Senate Bill 521, changing the state law from treating dark intersections as right-of-way to a four-way stop. The law is supposed to make intersections safer, according to the lawmakers.

On Tuesday, Calley signed the bill into law, changing the way we should all treat dark intersections.

"Clarifying this law will not only reduce the number of accidents during these power outages, but it will also keep Michiganders consistent with what is taught during driver's training," Calley said.

The issue came up last year when Michigan State police tweeted in the days after a powerful windstorm knocked out power to thousands. The message was that you don't stop at a dark intersection and it's to revert back to the basic right-of-way requirements. The gist -- the street with the heavier traffic has the right of way. If two vehicles get there at the same time, the driver on the right has the right of way.

If that seems backwards from everything you've been taught in driver's education, you're not alone. Now the law is changed to what really makes sense - and what most people were doing anyway: treating it like a four-way stop.

Calley signed the bill because Governor Rick Snyder is on a trade trip to Europe.