{"podcast":{"title":"West Michigan Weekend (A Public Affairs Program from iHeartradio)","slug":"west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286","podcast_index_feed_id":1390286,"rss_url":"https://www.spreaker.com/show/2572136/episodes/feed","website_url":"https://www.iheart.com/podcast/139-iheartmedia-west-mi-weeken-28352469/","image_url":"https://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/c55b2f870fe78fd27f6c054b429382ed.jpg","author":"WOOD Radio","episode_count":603,"summary":"\"The West Michigan Weekend Podcast with Phil Tower is a production of WOOD Radio and iHeartRadio in West Michigan. Stay connected with the people, places, and events shaping our community and our great state by subscribing wherever you get your podcasts. We'd love your feedback as well, so please consider leaving us a review! For more of our episodes, find us here , or find us on the iHeartRadio app . Thanks for listening!\"","last_synced_at":"2026-06-27T12:19:06.835245+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286"},"episode":{"title":"Hands-Free, Not Danger-Free: An Update on Michigan's Plan To Cut Distracted Driving (04-12-26)","slug":"hands-free-not-danger-free-an-update-on-michigan-s-plan-to-cut-distracted-driving-04-12-26","published_at":"2026-04-11T09:00:15+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/hands-free-not-danger-free-an-update-on-michigan-s-plan-to-cut-distracted-driving-04-12-26","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286","url":"https://www.spreaker.com/episode/hands-free-not-danger-free-an-update-on-michigan-s-plan-to-cut-distracted-driving-04-12-26--71239973","audio_url":"https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/api.spreaker.com/download/episode/71239973/041226_ihmwmw_distracted_driving_final_mix.mp3","summary":"On this segment of West Michigan Weekend , host Phil Tower sits down with A licia Sledge, Director of Michigan’s Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), to discuss the critical issue of distracted driving. Despite the implementation of Michigan’s Hands-Free Law , recent data shows a concerning rise in mobile device use and driver fatalities. This episode breaks down the latest statistics and the state’s high-visibility enforcement efforts aimed at reversing these deadly trends. In this episode, you’ll learn about: Current Trends: Why distracted-driving fatalities increased by 10% last year, even as overall crashes dipped. The Hands-Free Law: A reminder of the legal and financial consequences for violating mobile device restrictions. SAFER by 2030: Michigan's collaborative initiative to reduce traffic fatalities by 30% over the next decade. Safer Habits: Practical advice for staying focused and keeping Michigan roadways safe for everyone. For more information, visit: Michigan.gov/DistractedDriving Michigan.gov/SAFERby2030","meta_description":"On this segment of West Michigan Weekend , host Phil Tower sits down with A licia Sledge, Director of Michigan’s Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP),…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":856,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/episodes/hands-free-not-danger-free-an-update-on-michigan-s-plan-to-cut-distracted-driving-04-12-26/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/west-michigan-weekend-a-public-affairs-program-from-iheartradio-1390286/hands-free-not-danger-free-an-update-on-michigan-s-plan-to-cut-distracted-driving-04-12-26.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}