Rural Michigan roads carry tractors, combines, and wagons right alongside cars going 55 or faster. When the two meet at the wrong moment, the damage can be devastating. Most people assume the rear driver is always at fault, but the truth is more nuanced.
Michigan law presumes the driver who rear-ends another vehicle was negligent (MCL 257.402). That presumption can be overcome with evidence. The farm vehicle operator may carry some or most of the responsibility if they:
- Drove without a slow-moving vehicle emblem or working lights at dusk or after dark
- Pulled onto the road suddenly without checking for traffic
- Made a wide turn without a signal or flagger
- Hauled an oversized load without proper markings or an escort