What To Know About Driving Near Funeral Processions In Michigan

There has been a lot of chatter lately about what you should do if you run into a funeral procession while driving.

I do remember being taught to pull over, if you can, as the procession passes by. I guess I just thought that it was the thing to do and it was the law and respectful.

In Michigan, do I risk driving on, passing the procession, and maybe get a ticket?

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What is the law?

Here is your answer! The website Legislature.mi.gov/laws spells it out this way.

(1) A motor vehicle forming part of a funeral procession, when going to a place of burial, shall have the right of way over all other vehicles except fire apparatus, ambulances, and police patrol vehicles at a street or highway intersection within this state if the vehicle in the funeral procession displays a flag which shall be fluorescent orange in color, and upon which shall be printed, stamped, or stained a black cross, the star of David, or the crescent and star. The lead vehicle and the last vehicle in the funeral procession may carry an additional flag. The flags shall not contain a name embossed or printed on the flag, except the word "funeral".

(2) A person passing through a funeral procession of motor vehicles, designated pursuant to subsection (1), with a vehicle of any kind, is responsible for a civil infraction.

you do not

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However, you need to be aware and show respect. The procession does have the right-of-way at intersections even if they are going through a red light, and you may not cut/pass through the procession. That is against the law and you could get a ticket.

One commenter on Reddit.com/Kalamazoo did have a funny thing happen to them.

"I accidentally joined a funeral procession once. There was a huge gap and I thought that was the end of it, but then all of a sudden I had a very angry man start tailgating me and I couldn't figure out why. Then I saw the little flag on the car. So at that point I just pretended to be part of the procession like a scene out of Mr. Bean."

Now that's funny!