By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
Distracted driving has become a serious problem on American roads. According to the Iowa DOT, most traffic fatalities and serious accidents involve distracted driving. For this reason, Iowa law is changing regarding the use of electronic devices by drivers.
Effective July 1, Iowa’s updated hands-free driving law (Iowa Code 321.276) aims to improve safety on Iowa roadways by prohibiting most uses of electronic devices while driving.
One of the key components of the law states: “A person shall not use a hand-held electronic communication device to write, send, or view an electronic message while driving a motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is at a complete stop off the traveled portion of the roadway.”
This means that even if a driver is stopped and sitting at a red light while holding and/or viewing a phone, that driver could be ticketed with a simple misdemeanor.
Also prohibited while on the roadway are:
- Drivers streaming videos or making video calls.
- Drivers reading messages or entering addresses into a GPS device.