LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) – A package of bills aimed at cracking down on distracted driving in Michigan has moved one step closer to becoming law.
State lawmakers on Tuesday passed House Bills 4277, 4278 and 4279, which would ban the use of handheld devices that aren't mounted to the vehicle, except in an emergency.
The main bill, HB 4277, sponsored by Rep. Mari Manoogian, D–Birmingham, would not only ban most cell phone use, but also increase the penalties for doing so. It passed by a vote of 75-26. See HB 4277 in its entirety here.
Under current Michigan law, texting is prohibited, with first-time offenders facing a fine of $100 and subsequent offenses carrying a fine of $200.
Under the proposed legislation, the first offense would carry a $100 fine or 16 hours of community service, while the second offense would carry a $250 fine or 24 hours of service.
Manoogian said the legislation would “make Michigan’s roads safer, by updating our outdated texting-while-driving laws to reflect the modern technology available to drivers and the modern distractions they face on our roads.”
The laws would essentially be encouraging Michigan drivers to put the phones down while driving, while acknowledging new technology in vehicles still allows for hands-free communication.
The scope of Michigan’s distracted driving laws would be extended to include most uses of handheld mobile devices – reading an email, watching a video, checking and updating social media, manually typing phone numbers and manually typing addresses into navigation apps.
There are certain exceptions to the new legislation, however, including calling 911 to report an emergency, contacting healthcare providers and other related emergency matters.
Police officers and other first responders would be exempt in certain situations, as long as they are performing “within the scope of that individual’s employment when responding to a public utility emergency.”
Speaking Tuesday, Manoogian said she has grown close to the family of Mitchel Kiefer, who was killed by a distracted driver.
Keefer, 18, was driving back to Michigan State University on I-96 near Lansing in 2016 when a distracted driver’s truck plowed into the back of his vehicle, throwing him out of his vehicle and into oncoming traffic, killing him instantly.
His father, General Motors executive Steven Kiefer, has been promoting the package of bills aimed at making the roads safer. More information on the family's story can be found on the Kiefer Foundation website.
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More than 700 people in the U.S. are injured each day in distracted driving crashes, while more than 3,000 people are killed each year, State Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, said when the legislation was introduced last spring.
Manoogian said banning texting is not enough, noting drivers can still “stream Netflix, shop on Amazon, record a TikTok or take a Zoom call on-camera while driving and be compliant with Michigan law.”
The new laws would “serve as a way to encourage better behavior on our roads,” while allowing law enforcement to more easily identify offenders.
While most lawmakers vocally supported the bill, Rep. John Reilly, R-Oakland Township, expressed concerned over “civil liberties.”
The legislation will now move to the State Senate. If it were to pass that chamber, it would be sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to be signed into law.
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