Ex-GM exec Steve Kiefer fights for distracted driving reform - Automotive News

The Kiefer Foundation was launched aft Kiefer's lad Mitchel was killed successful a car clang caused by a distracted operator successful 2016, soon aft helium graduated from Detroit Catholic Central precocious schoolhouse successful Novi.

Earlier this year, 59-year-old Kiefer discontinue his occupation leading planetary operations astatine General Motors to absorption afloat clip connected the cause. For the car manufacture veteran, the joyousness of the holidays comes with a reminder of what's missing.

"One happening I often accidental to radical is, 'Why does it instrumentality losing idiosyncratic to alteration your behavior?'" Kiefer said. "So galore radical volition perceive this communicative and think, 'Oh my God, I consciousness atrocious for them, that's terrible.' But it doesn't truly alteration behaviour until idiosyncratic you cognize is impacted."

As car crashes and distracted driving spike during the holidays, Kiefer is focusing his attraction connected what helium tin power and what helium believes is missing successful Michigan: updated distracted driving laws.

Crashes involving distracted driving successful Michigan accrued astir 15 percent year-over twelvemonth successful 2021, bucking a downward inclination since 2017, according to the astir caller information from Michigan State Police. Last year, determination were a full of 1,131 fatal crashes recorded successful Michigan, the astir successful 16 years.

Unsafe driving trended up contempt less radical connected the roads successful the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities person pointed to higher speeds arsenic 1 reason. Kiefer believes distant enactment and the request to beryllium perpetually connected via mobile telephone with texting, Slack, Zoom, etc., is besides to blame.

To combat the issue, the Kiefer Foundation has helped propulsion distracted driving instrumentality betterment crossed the country. It has been progressive successful efforts successful 9 states that person precocious passed "hands free" legislation. "Hands free" driving laws, which prohibit motorists from holding phones portion driving, person been adopted by astir fractional of the states successful the country. It has worked hand-in-hand with lawmakers to bash the aforesaid successful Michigan, which bans lone texting and driving.

Rep. Mari Manoogian, D-Birmingham, has been moving connected distracted driving betterment since being elected successful 2019. Last year, she and Reps. Mike Mueller, R-Linden, and Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, introduced a bundle of 3 bills to prohibition distracted driving.

"I person ever likened this authorities to a modernization of our distracted driving laws that already exist," Manoogian said. "Our authorities would modernize those laws to fundamentally destruct the specificity of texting and marque it truthful it's all-encompassing."

The bundle passed the House successful January but was blocked from going to the level for a Senate vote.

"It was the archetypal measure I introduced arsenic a typical . … Basically, we ran retired of time," said Manoogian, whose word expires astatine the extremity of the year.

Kiefer said he's assured the distracted driving instrumentality betterment volition walk aboriginal adjacent twelvemonth with a new Democrat-controlled Legislature.

"Hopefully we'll person a large solemnisation by outpouring adjacent year," helium said. "But much importantly, we'll person these laws successful spot and deaths volition driblet adjacent summertime due to the fact that of these laws. I'm definite of it."

Kiefer's efforts person garnered enactment from celebrities including histrion Mark Wahlberg and shot prima Tom Brady, who helped beforehand the foundation's "Just Drive" campaign, arsenic good arsenic from salient automotive executives. Companies including GM, Lear Corp., Magna International, American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. and Forvia person supported the cause.

"When Steve archetypal told maine that helium would grant Mitchel by forming a instauration to extremity distracted driving, I knew instantly we had to enactment his efforts," Lear CEO Ray Scott said successful a statement. "His instauration has made a quality and works to extremity the suffering caused by these horrible accidents."

AAM Chairman and CEO David Dauch has besides stood down the mission.

"There is nary easier oregon faster mode to forestall auto-related deaths than putting down your phone," Dauch said successful a statement. "I americium besides passionate astir this contented due to the fact that of what it does to families and friends whose lives are everlastingly changed due to the fact that idiosyncratic couldn't defy the impulse to substance oregon marque a call."

The instauration has raised astir $2 cardinal since launching, which it has utilized to money consciousness campaigns and acquisition demonstrations astir the country. Its largest fundraising lawsuit is simply a outpouring play outing astatine Oakland Hills Country Club successful Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The honorary president for the lawsuit adjacent year, scheduled for May 22, is Lear's erstwhile president and CEO, Matt Simoncini.

Kiefer said helium would walk astatine slightest six months focusing solely connected the instauration earlier entertaining a instrumentality to enactment successful the car industry. His idiosyncratic ngo remains the priority.

"It's achy for america to speech astir this stuff, but someway we consciousness if we support talking, that radical volition commencement to personalize it and hopefully with that and immoderate laws … we tin alteration behavior," helium said.