Every year, more lives are lost on Michigan’s rural roads—lives of people simply trying to get to church, school, or home. In 2025 alone, at least four members of Michigan’s Amish communities have died in devastating buggy crashes, including a 4-month-old baby and a young father. Many more—women, children, entire families—have been seriously or permanently injured.

These tragedies are preventable.

In counties like Gladwin, Montcalm, St. Joseph, and Branch—where buggies and 55-mph traffic often share the same narrow roads—there is no clear legal standard for how close is too close when drivers pass a horse-drawn buggy. Time and again, reckless passing, distracted driving, and speeding have ended in fatal crashes. Michigan’s Amish do not seek revenge or punishment. But they do deserve safety.

We’re calling on the Michigan State Legislature and county road commissions to take two urgent steps:

• Pass a statewide law requiring drivers to leave at least 5 feet when passing slow-moving vehicles like horse-drawn buggies, and prohibit passing in unsafe conditions such as hills, curves, or poor visibility.
• Install increased “Watch for Buggies” signage along roads in counties with high Amish populations and crash data, especially near schools, churches, and sharp turns where visibility is limited.

These are not radical demands. Similar protections already exist for bicyclists and motorcyclists. Our Amish neighbors live simply and peacefully—and their way of life should not be a death sentence.

We don’t need another funeral to act.

Sign this petition to demand safer passing laws and more warning signs before another Michigan family is shattered.