MENU
SEARCHThe appointment, made by the U.S. Department of Justice, is part of Toyota's deferred prosecution agreement reached in March.
KELLEY
KELLEY
The U.S. Department of Justice has appointed David Kelley, a former U.S. Attorney, as an independent monitor of Toyota’s vehicle safety efforts.
The appointment is part of the automaker’s settlement with the DOJ, following a federal investigation into the unintended-acceleration recalls. The deferred-prosecution agreement was announced in March, after federal investigators concluded the company had issued misleading statements over safety recalls.
Kelley is a partner at Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, a law firm in New York. He acts as a senior advisor to public companies, boards of directors, audit committees, and officers and directors in investigations and prosecutions. The law firm announced Kelley's new appointment on its website.
From 2003-2005, Kelley served as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. While in that role, he oversaw a number of high-profile investigations and prosecutions involving white-collar crime. His office won convictions against such famous defendants as former WorldCom CEO Bernie Ebbers for accounting fraud and Martha Stewart for insider trading.
As Toyota’s independent safety monitor, Kelley will review, assess and report on the company’s safety compliance and communications in the U.S. Kelley will file reports with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York.
Distracted driving remains one of the most persistent risks in fleet operations. New approaches focus on removing mobile device use entirely while adding real-time safety support.
Read More →
As distraction risks evolve, fleets are turning to smarter, more connected technologies to better understand what’s happening behind the wheel. Part 2 explores how these tools are helping identify risky behaviors and improve visibility across operations.
Read More →
What fleets capture to improve safety can also expose them in litigation, forcing leaders to rethink how data is managed, stored, and shared.
Read More →
Distracted driving is often measured by what we can see—phones in hand, eyes off the road. But what about the distractions we can’t? A recent incident raises a bigger question about awareness, attention, and why subtle risks so often go unnoticed.
Read More →
While serious crashes are declining, a rise in minor incidents and ongoing risk hotspots underscore the need for continued fleet safety investment.
Read More →
Fleets have more driver data than ever, so why isn't behavior changing? Training requires more than reports and coaching — it requires real-world practice.
Read More →
A two-part conversation with Stefan Heck on how AI is transforming the fight against distracted driving. As fleets adopt smarter tools, the focus shifts from reacting to preventing risk. In Part 1, we look at where AI is making an impact for fleets today.
Read More →
More people on foot means more risk for drivers. These pedestrian safety tips can help prevent serious injuries and keep everyone safer on the road.
Read More →
Safer crews. Fewer incidents. Better uptime. Learn how driver-assist technology is changing the way vocational fleets operate.
Read More →
An 11% drop in pedestrian fatalities in early 2025 signals progress in U.S. road safety, but elevated death rates and ongoing risks underscore the need for continued action from fleets and policymakers.
Read More →
