Michigan Auto Law and The Kiefer Foundation Announce 2024 Winners for The Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship
Logo Courtesy of Michigan Auto Law
Michigan Auto Law and The Kiefer Foundation Awarded $10,000 to Michigan High School Students Who Provided Compelling Messages To Discourage Teens from Distracted Driving.
Michigan Auto Law and The Kiefer Foundation are pleased to announce the 2024 Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship winners. The scholarship will award a total of $10,000 to eight winners for their submissions in four categories. The scholarship gives teen drivers in 11th and 12th grade a platform to raise awareness by crafting compelling message that convinces young drivers to reduce distractions while driving and persuades all drivers, especially teen drivers, to stop texting while driving.
The Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship,
was created in 2016 by Michigan Auto Law, the largest law firm in Michigan that specializes exclusively in helping auto accident victims, to honor Kelsey Raffaele, a 17-year-old who tragically lost her life in a cell phone-related automobile crash in 2010. The Kiefer Foundation, was created in 2016 to honor Mitchell Kiefer, a freshman at Michigan State University who lost his life during a commute to school after a young distracted driver crashed into his car. Through this scholarship and their many community outreach efforts, Michigan Auto Law and The Kiefer Foundation hope to inspire change and raise awareness about how Michigan drivers can protect themselves, their families and other drivers from the dangers of distracted driving.
The Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship was open to 11th and 12th grade students attending any public or private high school in Michigan. These juniors and seniors were invited to submit compelling messages through videos, graphics, or tweets (now X posts) that resonate with their peers and aim to influence and convince young drivers to reduce distractions while driving and persuade all drivers, especially teen drivers, to stop texting while driving.
“As any parent already knows, our teens don’t always listen to adults in the same way as they listen to their friends and other teens. What makes this scholarship so unique and special is we are enlisting the help of dozens of teens throughout Michigan every year to help spread the message about the devastating consequences of distracted driving to their peers. We need teen drivers to understand just how dangerous texting and driving and using cell phones when operating a car can be, and teens are the best way to help spread this message. As lawyers, there is no case for us that is quite as tragic as the ones where a family has lost a son or daughter due to a completely preventable death caused by distracted driving. Through our collaboration with Bonnie Raffaele and The Kiefer Foundation we hope to continue and expand this message to warn teens about the dangers of distracted driving,” stated Steven Gursten, Michigan Auto Law Owner and Attorney.
Since the scholarship’s inception, Kelsey Raffaele’s mother, Bonnie Raffaele,
has proven to be a steadfast supporter and invaluable partner of Michigan Auto Law by providing guidance and helping to select each of the scholarship winners. Winners are chosen based on the students’ ability to persuade others to stop texting while driving, grab the attention of friends and family, deliver a clear and understandable message, and showcase personal creativity and ingenuity.
“I would like to thank The Kiefer Foundation for their gracious donation to Kelsey’s scholarship. I met the Kiefer family at a press conference in Detroit, a few years back. Together we work hard at putting an end to distracted driving. I would also like to thank my “extended family” at Michigan Auto Law. Thank you for honoring my daughter, Kelsey, helping us put an end to distracted driving, and for helping to protect the kids on the road,” stated Bonnie Raffaele.
The scholarship funds will be applied towards tuition at any university, college, or technical school in the United States for this year’s eight winners. The $10,000 combined total in scholarship funds offers various award amounts per category, including two $2,000 scholarships for the overall best submission, two $1,500 scholarships for the best video submission, two $1,000 scholarships for the best graphic submission, and two $500 scholarships for the best tweet (now X post) submission.
The 2024 winners are listed below based on their category.
A full list of winners and their submissions can be found by visiting Michigan Auto Law’s website.
Best Overall Winners:
Ava Williams Class of 2024
University High School Academy in Lathrup Village
Anna Held Class of 2024
Hamilton High School in Holland
Video Winners:
Brianna Johnson Class of 2024
Troy Athens High School in Troy
Madeline Kue Class of 2024
Marshall High School in Marshall
Graphic Winners:
Olivia Harris Class of 2024
Tri County High School in Howard City
Sophia Holverstott Class of 2024
Byron Center High School in Shelbyville
Tweet (X post) Winners:
Cadence Walter Class of 2025
Woodhaven High School in Brownstown
Tweet (X post): “Texting while driving? Oh, cell no!”
Ethan Ku Class of 2024
Huron High School in Ann Arbor
Tweet (X post): “Don’t check the reel behind the wheel.”
“The Kiefer Foundation is proud to partner with Michigan Auto Law in awarding the Kelsey’s Law Distracted Driving Awareness Scholarship to eight outstanding individuals who, through their efforts, are helping raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving,” said Steve Kiefer, Founder and Chairman. “Together, we aim to promote safer driving practices and prevent future tragedies on our roads. Congratulations to all recipients of this honorable scholarship.”
Driving distractions are more than just using a cell phone and/or texting,
but also eating and drinking, reading, using navigations systems, and even changing radio stations. Through the support of Bonnie Raffaele, the Kelsey’s Law was passed in Michigan in 2013, prohibiting cell phone use by teen drivers with a Level 1 or Level 2 graduated license. Teen drivers are prohibited from initiating a call, answering a call, or listening to or engaging in verbal communications through a cell phone while they’re behind the wheel – regardless of whether the phone is hand-held or in “voice-operated” mode. Teen drivers who violate Kelsey’s Law may be ticketed by law enforcement officers.
According to Michigan Traffic Crash Facts,
more than 20% of the drivers involved in distracted driving-related crashes in Michigan in 2022 were between the ages of 15 and 20 years of age. Furthermore, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 7% of distracted drivers involved in fatal crashes in the U.S. in 2022 were teenagers between the ages of 15 and 19. These statistics emphasize the urgent need to address distracted driving among young drivers.
A full list of winners and their winning submissions can be found here.
About Michigan Auto Law
Michigan Auto Law is the leading and largest law firm in Michigan exclusively handling auto accident cases for more than 50 years. The firm has litigated thousands of motor vehicle accidents and personal injury lawsuits, securing multimillion dollar settlements and verdicts throughout the State of Michigan. Michigan Auto Law has been listed for 17 consecutive years with top reported settlements and trial verdicts in Michigan. With a 100% satisfaction guarantee, 98% of cases resulting in great settlements, attorneys that are leaders in the legal world and experts on auto crash laws, all have led to Michigan Auto Law being considered the best in the business and being named to “The Best Lawyer’s in America” for 10 years in a row. Michigan Auto Law’s mission is to help those in need, which includes giving back to the communities they serve, and helping to make Michigan a better and safer place. For more information about Michigan Auto Law, visit our website, or connect with us on social media at Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok.
About The Kiefer Foundation:
The Kiefer Foundation was founded in 2016 to honor 18-year-old Mitchel Kiefer’s legacy after he was tragically killed in an auto crash caused by a distracted driver. The mission of the Kiefer Foundation is to end distracted driving and all associated traffic deaths and injuries through its three pillars: awareness, policy, and technology. For more information on The Kiefer Foundation, visit our website, or on social media at Facebook or Instagram.
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