Iowa saw a slight drop in traffic fatalities last year, but the Iowa State Patrol, bicycling advocates and lawmakers hope to reduce those numbers significantly in 2025 by passing a bill that would ban electronic devices while driving.

There were 354 deaths on Iowa’s roads in 2024, down from 378 the year before, according to data from the Iowa Department of Transportation. Yet that number is too high, officials say, as they make a renewed push this legislative session for lawmakers to pass what’s known as a hands-free bill, something Gov. Kim Reynolds called for in her Condition of State address last week.

“That’s 354 fatalities too many,” Iowa State Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Alex Dinkla told the Register. “We don’t want to continue seeing fatalities happen in our roadways. We’re out here working the road and making sure our roadways are safe each and every day.”

It’s already illegal while driving in Iowa to use a cellphone “to write, send or view an electronic message,” like a text message. But a bill introduced in the Senate last week would fully ban drivers from using electronic devices like cellphones, except in voice activated or hands-free mode.

Beyond distracted driving, the Iowa State Patrol says drivers and passengers failing to wear seatbelts contributed to 43% of last year’s fatalities. One the Iowa State Patrol’s goals this year is to look at each of the 354 deaths to find any correlations, Dinkla said.

“We want to find out why these are happening or if there are certain areas where these fatalities are happening the most,” Dinkla said.

In November 2023, the Iowa State Patrol worked with the Iowa Department of Transportation to implement six traffic safety corridors across the state, Dinkla said. The six areas were marked in the top 1% for all of Iowa crashes from 2016-2020.

The safety corridors have signs that indicate that there is an increased law enforcement presence for the next 20 miles. Data shows there has been a reduction in crashes in the safety corridors, Dinkla said, and the Iowa State Patrol could implement more in the future.

Iowans support hands-free law, Iowa State Patrol finds

Looking forward to the Iowa legislative session, authorities are again asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would ban distracted driving. Drivers who use hand-held devices while driving are four times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves or others, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation.

“We’ve been working on trying to legislate and educate the public on the dangers of distracted driving,” Dinkla said. “We know that it’s a device that is causing crashes and it’s leading to crashes.”

Iowa authorities have been looking at other states that have passed hands-free bills, such as Minnesota and Illinois, who Dinkla said saw reductions in crashes after their laws went into effect.

The Iowa State Patrol conducted a survey at the Iowa State Fair and found that 85% of respondents were in support of hands-free driving, Dinkla said.

“The more we wait to not make Iowa a hands-free state, we’re going to continue to see fatalities rise from people driving in an inappropriate and inexcusable manner,” he said.

Reynolds said in her speech she supports hands-free driving legislation that would ban distracted driving. Legislation has previously passed in the Senate but stalled in the House.  

“I want to address another important topic about cellphones that we need to finally resolve: hands-free driving,” Reynolds said as she also advocated for a cellphone ban in Iowa’s classrooms. “Cellphones are a distraction in the classroom; they’re deadly on the highway.”

In attendance was the family of Roland Taylor, a man who was killed by a distracted driver two years ago. Reynolds said the driver was on his phone seven out of the nine minutes he was driving before the crash.

The governor met Taylor’s wife and his two daughters over the summer, she said. The family told Reynolds they don’t want any other family to go what they’ve been through and have been strong advocates for a hands-free law.

“For the sake of all our loved ones on the road, let’s finally pass legislation that requires drivers to keep their eyes on the road and away from their phones,” Reynolds said.

House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, said Democrats “stand ready to support” legislation.

“It’s safer for drivers, safer for workers and safer for people who are on the roads, walking or riding their bikes,” she said. “It is a no-brainer, and the reason it’s not getting out of the Iowa House is because Republicans can’t agree on what we need to do, and Democrats are ready to help.”

Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, agreed.

“The Senate passed it last time, 47 to 3,” she said. “I imagine the Senate will pass it again, and I would also add that it will save lives, and it’s been a law enforcement priority for some time.”

Top Republican lawmakers had generally positive reactions to Reynolds’ proposal for the legislation when speaking to reporters Tuesday night.

Senate lawmakers already have introduced their own bill, Senate File 22. The measure is sponsored by 17 Republican senators, or half the caucus.

Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton, said, “it’s been the year for hands-free in the Senate for several years,” pointing to the Senate’s past passage of similar legislation.

“I think the governor coming out with it brings it to the forefront. You know, I think it’s important that that we look at the data, and the data say that distracted driving takes lives. And that’s not my opinion, it’s not the governor’s opinion, it’s reality. And I look forward to the House coming on board and seeing where we can go with that.”

House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said the House has made “multiple attempts” to pass different versions of the legislation over the years. But the measure has never passed the chamber. He said he expects to have a conversation about the bill again this year.

“I can say, for me personally I’ve kind of moved into a position of, if we can do something in a responsible way, and look at what some other states have done to find a balance, I think it’s something that I would be supportive of,” he said.

Hands-free bill would make Iowa the best place it can be, advocate says

Legislation banning the use of electronic devices while driving has failed to pass in the Iowa Legislature for several years, despite repeated advocacy efforts from law enforcement, and other groups, such as cyclists.

Luke Hoffman, director the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, a statewide assemblage of cycling interests, said its agenda this year is topped by an all-out push to pass long-sought legislation requiring that drivers’ use of communications devices like cellphones be hands-free while they’re at the wheel. 

Hoffman has been an advocate for banning distracted driving for a long time and was even involved in a crash while cycling last summer, he told the Register. A truck whose driver was distracted by his dog swerved and sideswiped Hoffman, who managed to stay upright but suffered shock and bruising.

More: Luke Hoffman of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition seeks to make Iowa a ‘world capital’ of cycling

Hoffman has spoken to families that were affected by distracted drivers and has been trying to support the hands-free bill for the safety of those on the road, he said.

“I was very cognizant of the impacts and had seen the personal results of a lack of this law, but it was a different thing to be personally impacted,” Hoffman said. “I think it definitely needs to be done for our state if we want to make it the best place to live, work and play.”

The hands-free bill would provide safety and peace of mind, Hoffman said. The coalition has been fervidly supporting officials who want to make streets safer for Iowans.

Hoffman said hearing Reynolds support the law in the Condition of State address brought tears to his eyes. “Me and my fiancee both jumped from our seats and yelled because we were so excited,” Hoffman said.

He said it was a culmination of a very emotional process after hearing the many tragic stories from families who have been impacted by distracted drivers.

“Hands-free to me means making Iowa the best place it can be, it means making people have peace of mind and feel safe, it means justice for victims of families that have been impacted by this and it means moving our state forward so we that can focus all the other things we need to do,” Hoffman said.

José Mendiola is a breaking news reporter for the Register. Reach him at jmendiola@dmreg.com or follow him on X @mendiola_news.