Photo credit: Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
Aug. 31, 2024
Carol Cain
Steve Kiefer had years of experience dealing with leaders in South America, Europe, India, Australia and the Middle East, often handling contentious issues he helped resolve as president of General Motors’ international division.
Still, Kiefer told me this week he’s surprised by how much effort, work and, yes, diplomacy he has had to exert as he has worked with political, business and community leaders across the nation as he helps states adopt distracted driving or hands-free driving laws.
“This has been so much more difficult than I ever imagined,” he said. “I never anticipated the type of resistance we would encounter, especially for something that impacts all of us and saves lives.”
Kiefer, founder and CEO of the Kiefer Foundation, a nonprofit based in Plymouth, retired from GM two years ago and has been pushing the pedal to the floor in helping states adopt distracted driving laws.
Photo credit: The Kiefer Foundation
He’s hoping to spare other parents the heartbreak he and his family experienced eight years ago, when Mitchel, his 18-year-old son, was driving back to Michigan State University from their Northville home in September 2016. His car was rear-ended by another vehicle driven by a college student, who was using a phone and hadn’t noticed traffic had come to a standstill on Interstate 96 outside of Lansing.
“The driver was traveling at 84 miles per hour when she hit Mitchel’s car and set it careening across the median into oncoming traffic,” he told me. “His car was hit by a truck and he was instantly killed.”
Despite spending his career at GM, Kiefer didn’t know how large the distracted driving problem was. He, too, was guilty of not always paying attention while behind the wheel.
“I’m the first to admit I would drive my Corvette, phone in one hand, a coffee in the other, steering with my knee and quickly looking at texts as I headed down the freeway, not thinking twice about it,” he said. “That changed after Mitchel’s death.”
Even quickly reading or sending a text for as little as five seconds while driving 55 mph is like driving the length of a football field with your eyes closed, according to NHTSA statistics.
There were 3,308 people killed in the U.S. in 2022 and an estimated 289,310 people injured in motor vehicle traffic crashes involving distracted drivers, according to NHTSA. Some say those numbers are actually much higher as causes of accidents aren’t always fully or accurately reported.
Currently, 31 states have adopted hands-free legislation, which makes it illegal to hold a mobile device while driving an automobile. The Kiefer Foundation has been involved in 17 states’ efforts. Michigan passed its legislation in June 2023 as Kiefer worked with legislators, AAA Michigan, the Detroit Regional Chamber and others.
“Passing these laws is extremely complex and challenging,” said Glenn Stevens Jr., executive director of MichAuto, which was involved in the effort. “To effect such a critical and lifesaving change to policy and human behavior requires an incredible mix of passion, determination and persuasion. Steve is the type of person who embodies these things and will not give up until all 50 states have these laws.”
Along the way, Kiefer enlisted the help of some big names to raise the conversation nationally, including: former NFL quarterback Tom Brady, GM CEO Mary Barra, Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman and actor Mark Wahlberg, who appeared in PSAs or took to social media to talk about it.
Kiefer’s now looking to technology as the foundation teams up with Innovation Works, based in Plymouth, on a new simulator which will provide an immersive, hands-on experience in a safe, virtual environment that educates drivers of all ages about the dangers of distractions on the road. He hopes to have the final version of it ready in early 2025.
I was curious about his thoughts on getting more states to add legislation.
“A significant challenge lies in navigating concerns about personal freedoms as some individuals feel that these laws represent government overreach, as they believe they should have the ability to make their own decisions while driving,” he said.
As we wound down, I asked what he thought Mitchel might say about it all.
“I think he’d be proud of the foundation but also a bit embarrassed,” he said. “He was the kind of person who never wanted the spotlight. We can imagine him shaking his head, a little overwhelmed by the attention, knowing it’s making a difference as it saves lives.”
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