Michigan Vehicle Code, section by section

The Michigan Vehicle Code, Act 300 of 1949, is the rulebook police officers, adjusters and juries apply to a crash. Most of its 900 sections are about registration, licensing and equipment. This explorer publishes the ones that decide an injury claim: who is liable for a driver's negligence, which driver is presumed at fault, who had the right of way, what a driver must do after a crash, when a crash must be reported, how insurance is proven, and how a seat belt or a child seat affects a recovery. Each section appears in full next to a plain-terms description written by Koussan Law, with links to the sections that reference each other and to the practice pages where the section matters.

Text as published in the 2025 edition of the Michigan Compiled Laws; the official text is maintained by the Michigan Legislature. Reviewed by Koussan Law on September 19, 2026. Where a section refers to the no-fault act (chapter 31 of the Insurance Code), the Michigan No-Fault Act explorer carries those sections in full at /michigan-no-fault-law.

Proof of insurance

MCL 257.328

• MCL 257.328: Proof of Insurance on RequestProducing evidence of motor vehicle insurance upon request of police officer; violation as civil infraction; electronic copy; certificate of insurance as prima facie evidence that insurance in force; contents; presentation of proof of insurance to court; civil infraction determination; surrendering license unless proof of insurance submitted to court; suspension of license by secretary of state; order; fee; renewal, transfer, or replacement of registration plate; producing false evidence as misdemeanor; penalty; points; section inapplicable to owner or operator of motor vehicle registered in other state or foreign country or province.

Civil liability of owners and drivers

MCL 257.401 to 257.402

• MCL 257.401: Owner Liability for a DriverCivil actions; liability of owner; liability of lessor; construction of subsections (3) and (4); "motor vehicle" defined; liability for off lease vehicle; exception for shared vehicle owner and peer-to-peer car sharing program.
• MCL 257.402: Rear-End Collision PresumptionRear end collision; prima facie evidence of negligence.

Duties after a crash and hit-and-run

MCL 257.601d and 257.617 to 257.622

• MCL 257.601d: Moving Violation Causing Death or HarmPerson who commits moving violation that is the proximate cause of death of another person or serious impairment of body function; penalty; other violations; "moving violation" defined.
• MCL 257.617: Leaving a Fatal or Serious CrashAccident resulting in serious impairment of body function or death; stopping required; reporting to police agency or officer; violation as felony; penalty.
• MCL 257.617a: Leaving a Crash That Caused InjuryAccident; personal injury; reporting to police agency or officer; stopping required; penalty; suspension of license.
• MCL 257.619: Duties After a CrashAccidents; duties of driver.
• MCL 257.622: Reporting a Crash to the PoliceReport of accidents resulting in death, personal injury, or property damage; forms; analysis; use; retention.

Rules of the road that decide fault

MCL 257.649

• MCL 257.649: Right of Way at IntersectionsRight of way; rules; violation as civil infraction.

Seat belts and child restraints

MCL 257.710d to 257.710e

• MCL 257.710d: Child Car Seats and Booster SeatsChild restraint system required; position; exceptions; violation as civil infraction; points; abstract; exemption by rules; alternate means of protection.
• MCL 257.710e: Seat Belts and the 5 Percent RuleSafety belt required; driver or passenger to which section inapplicable; transporting child 13 years of age but less than 16 years of age; use of lap belt for purpose of road construction or maintenance; enforcement of section; violation as evidence of negligence; reduction of recovery for damages; violation as civil infraction; reports of inappropriate enforcement; intent; assessment of points prohibited.

How to use this explorer

Start with MCL 257.402 (the rear-end presumption), 257.649 (right of way), 257.401 (why the owner is a defendant) and 257.710e (the seat belt 5 percent rule). If you were hurt in a Michigan crash and want to know how these sections apply to your facts, call Koussan Law at (313) 800-0000 for a free consultation.