Six years after private tragedy impressed a mission to finish distracted driving, Steve Kiefer mentioned his basis has made progress regardless of Michigan roads being as harmful as ever.

The Kiefer Basis was launched after Kiefer’s son Mitchel was killed in a automotive crash brought on by a distracted driver in 2016, shortly after he graduated from Detroit Catholic Central highschool in Novi.

Earlier this 12 months, 59-year-old Kiefer stop his job main worldwide operations at Basic Motors to focus full time on the trigger. For the auto trade veteran, the enjoyment of the vacations comes with a reminder of what is lacking.

“One factor I typically say to folks is, ‘Why does it take shedding any person to vary your habits?'” Kiefer mentioned. “So many individuals will hear this story and assume, ‘Oh my God, I really feel dangerous for them, that is horrible.’ However it does not actually change habits till somebody you already know is impacted.”

As automotive crashes and distracted driving spike through the holidays, Kiefer is focusing his consideration on what he can management and what he believes is lacking in Michigan: up to date distracted driving legal guidelines.

Crashes involving distracted driving in Michigan elevated about 15 p.c year-over 12 months in 2021, bucking a downward pattern since 2017, based on the latest knowledge from Michigan State Police. Final 12 months, there have been a complete of 1,131 deadly crashes recorded in Michigan, essentially the most in 16 years.

Unsafe driving trended up regardless of fewer folks on the roads within the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Authorities have pointed to increased speeds as one motive. Kiefer believes distant work and the should be continuously linked through cell phone with texting, Slack, Zoom, and so forth., can also be in charge.

To fight the difficulty, the Kiefer Basis has helped push distracted driving regulation reform throughout the nation. It has been concerned in efforts in 9 states which have just lately handed “arms free” laws. “Palms free” driving legal guidelines, which prohibit motorists from holding telephones whereas driving, have been adopted by about half of the states within the nation. It has labored hand-in-hand with lawmakers to do the identical in Michigan, which bans solely texting and driving.

Rep. Mari Manoogian, D-Birmingham, has been engaged on distracted driving reform since being elected in 2019. Final 12 months, she and Reps. Mike Mueller, R-Linden, and Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, launched a package deal of three payments to ban distracted driving.

“I’ve at all times likened this laws to a modernization of our distracted driving legal guidelines that exist already,” Manoogian mentioned. “Our laws would modernize these legal guidelines to principally get rid of the specificity of texting and make it so it is all-encompassing.”

The package deal handed the Home in January however was blocked from going to the ground for a Senate vote.

“It was the primary invoice I launched as a consultant . … Principally, we ran out of time,” mentioned Manoogian, whose time period expires on the finish of the 12 months.

Kiefer mentioned he is assured the distracted driving regulation reform will cross early subsequent 12 months with a new Democrat-controlled Legislature.

“Hopefully we’ll have a giant celebration by spring subsequent 12 months,” he mentioned. “However extra importantly, we’ll have these legal guidelines in place and deaths will drop subsequent summer season due to these legal guidelines. I am certain of it.”

Kiefer’s efforts have garnered assist from celebrities together with actor Mark Wahlberg and soccer star Tom Brady, who helped promote the muse’s “Simply Drive” marketing campaign, in addition to from outstanding automotive executives. Firms together with GM, Lear Corp., Magna Worldwide, American Axle & Manufacturing Inc. and Forvia have supported the trigger.

“When Steve first advised me that he would honor Mitchel by forming a basis to finish distracted driving, I knew instantly we needed to assist his efforts,” Lear CEO Ray Scott mentioned in a press release. “His basis has made a distinction and works to finish the struggling brought on by these horrible accidents.”

AAM Chairman and CEO David Dauch has additionally stood behind the mission.

“There isn’t any simpler or quicker technique to forestall auto-related deaths than placing down your telephone,” Dauch mentioned in a press release. “I’m additionally enthusiastic about this subject due to what it does to households and associates whose lives are endlessly modified as a result of somebody could not resist the urge to textual content or make a name.”

The muse has raised almost $2 million since launching, which it has used to fund consciousness campaigns and academic demonstrations across the nation. Its largest fundraising occasion is a spring golf outing at Oakland Hills Nation Membership in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The honorary chairman for the occasion subsequent 12 months, scheduled for Could 22, is Lear’s former president and CEO, Matt Simoncini.

Kiefer mentioned he would spend at the very least six months focusing solely on the muse earlier than entertaining a return to work within the auto trade. His private mission stays the precedence.

“It is painful for us to speak about these things, however one way or the other we really feel if we hold speaking, that individuals will begin to personalize it and hopefully with that and a few legal guidelines … we are able to change habits,” he mentioned.