Des Moines, Iowa — The Iowa Senate has voted to make it illegal for all drivers to use a hand-held smartphone while a vehicle is in motion.
Drivers under the age of 18 years have long been prohibited from using electronic devices, unless the vehicle is off the roadway and stopped, but efforts to extend that policy to adult drivers have stalled in the legislature for more than a decade. Senator Mark Lofgren of Muscatine says the distraction of a smartphone in a vehicle has become a major issue.
Lofgren thanked people who’ve been hit by distracted drivers or had loved ones die in an accident for lobbying for the legislation. If the bill becomes law, motorists ticketed for handling a smartphone while driving would be fined 100 dollars. There would be higher fines and the potential for a license suspension if the distraction of a smartphone leads to an accident that causes serious injuries. The bill passed the Senate on a 47-to-three vote and now goes to the House for consideration. Twenty-four other states prohibit all drivers from using a hand-held smartphone while a vehicle is moving.
It is currently illegal for Iowa drivers to text while driving, but police say it’s nearly impossible to enforce.
