Police Have Stern Warning for Michigan Drivers During Total Solar Eclipse

A large swath of the central and eastern United States will see a total or partial solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Many will flock to viewing locations to see the rare event.

Michigan will see near totality with many locations in the lower portion of the state at 90 percent or better coverage of the sun. Just the extreme portion of southeast Michigan in Monroe County will see totality.

Many Michiganders looking for the totality experience need only head to our neighbors to the south as both Indiana and Ohio are in the path of the eclipse.

Indiana is expecting to many visitors, particularly to Indianapolis which will be in the heart of totality, the police are looking to get out in front of the event and have these warnings, cautions and advisories for drivers coming to view the eclipse.

Via WANE-TV, here is what the Indiana State Police are telling drivers ahead of the big April date.

• You should avoid driving during the eclipse if possible.
• Don't pull over or stop in the middle of the road to view the eclipse
• You must be wearing eclipse glasses to safely look at the eclipse but you should not wear those glasses while driving
• The eclipse will appear to be a daylight-nighttime-daylight event in quick succession. You should turn your headlights on if you do have to drive and do it manually, don't rely on the automatic setting.

Many of the commonsense rules of the road apply during the eclipse time like watching for pedestrians. If people are along the side of the road or sidewalks, they are almost certainly looking up with eclipse glasses or looking down and eclipse viewing boxes and are likely no looking out for drivers.

So should you be travelling for eclipse viewing or staying close to home to experience the near-totalty that Michigan will see, be alert when driving particularly in the mid-afternoon between 1 and 4 which will be the full duration of the event with the main event hitting around 3 pm.