No Cellphone Use While Driving: 'Hands-Free' Law Signed By Whitmer

MICHIGAN — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed three bills Wednesday that will fine drivers who are caught holding or using a cellphone on Michigan's roads. The ban will take effect June 30, according to the governor's office.

"We developed our last Strategic Highway Safety Plan in 2019 and already we have seen a reduction in the number of fatalities caused by distracted driving," Whitmer said. "These bills are another step toward reducing that number even further. Our goal is to see zero traffic deaths by 2050 and I know that by working together we can get it done."

Whitmer signed the legislation at the Plymouth USA Hockey Arena named after Mitchel Kiefer, a hockey player who was killed in a crash involving a distracted driver.

"I am so pleased and honored to be with Governor Whitmer and other victims' families today, as these life-saving bills are signed into law," Founder and Chairman of the Kiefer Foundation Steve Kiefer, Mitchel's father, said. "It is especially moving for me and my family to have these bills signed at the Mitchel Kiefer Memorial Ice Rink, where Mitchel played his last hockey game with Detroit Catholic Central."

Michigan becomes the 26th state to pass the so-called hands-free driving legislation, which is meant to curb distracted driving and related crashes.

Officials said the new law allows drivers to take advantage of new voice-operated or hands-free technology if they need to use cell phone functions.

Although current legislation already made it illegal to text while driving in Michigan, the new measure now bans all cellphone usage while driving, not just texting. For example, Michigan drivers now cannot:

• Send or receive a telephone call.
• Send, receive or read a text message.
• View, record or transmit a video.
• Access, read or post to a social networking site

Red lights will not be an exception, even if the driver is at a complete stop, according to the legislation.

Anyone caught holding or using a cellphone while driving in Michigan would face the following fines:

• $100 fine or 16 hours of community service, or both (first violation),
• $250 fine or 24 hours of community service, or both (second or subsequent violation),
• The driver would be ordered by the court to complete a driver improvement course (three violations within a 3-year period).

Fines would be doubled if the driver is caught holding or using a cell phone during a car crash. School bus and commercial drivers also face higher fines ($200 for the first offense and $500 for every subsequent offense), and again doubled if they occur in a crash, according to the legislation.

Some exceptions to the new "hands-free driving" law include calling or texting 911 and GPS-as long as the driver is not holding or typing on their cellphone, according to the legislation.

"Dangerous incidents tied to distracted driving have continued to increase and it is clear that our state’s motor vehicle laws are in desperate need of modernization," state Representative Matt Koleszar (D-Plymouth) said. "This legislation is designed to make our roads safer for every driver and passenger in Michigan and provide law enforcement with the tools they need to crack down on this dangerous behavior."