Michigan: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Michigan bars any horn from making an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a train horn likely breaks.
Every car needs a horn audible from 200 feet, but it may not be unreasonably loud or harsh, and only emergency vehicles may carry a siren, whistle or bell. The law lists 'air horn' only among the devices emergency vehicles may have, and the ban for other vehicles doesn't name air horns. So there is no express train horn ban, but a typical train horn likely fails the loudness rule. Historic-plated vehicles may use a siren, whistle or bell at parades and similar events.
Conditions
- Horn must not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle
- Horn may be used only when reasonably necessary for safe operation
What the law says
A motor vehicle, including a motorcycle or moped, when operated upon a highway shall be equipped with a horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet but a horn or other warning device shall not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. ... A vehicle shall not be equipped with nor shall a person use upon a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.
Sources
- MCL 257.706 Official · legislature.mi.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Michigan State Police
- Website
- michigan.gov
How bordering states compare
- Indiana Allowed with limitsIndiana bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
- Ohio Allowed with limitsOhio sets no loudness limit for horns but bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles; whether that covers train horns is unsettled.
- Wisconsin Allowed with limitsWisconsin bans sirens and compression or exhaust whistles, and forbids unreasonably loud or harsh horn sounds, but does not name air horns.