Texting While Driving Still a Problem in Iowa Despite New Law

Drivers across Iowa still haven’t gotten the message that texting while driving is prohibited. Texting while driving can not only result in a costly ticket, but worse, a distracted driving car accident.

Since the law changed making texting while driving a primary offense in Iowa, the number of tickets issued to motorists texting while driving has increased dramatically, underscoring just how many drivers are not paying attention to the road.

Although the law does allow some activity on the phone behind the wheel such as using GPS or making a call, officers are pretty astute at spotting the difference and have seen a bounty of texting while driving offenses.

From weaving on the highway to pulling out phones at a traffic stops, officers have issued a steady stream of tickets for texting while driving that never seems to stop.

Ticketing distracted drivers is not without good reason. Robust texting while driving laws are becoming the norm across the country in response to a spike in distracted driving accidents, many of which result in injuries or fatalities.

Distracted driving accounts for nearly 25% of all motor vehicle fatalities and is the culprit behind 58 % of teen crashes, which not only poses a risk to the distracted driver but all motorists on the road and to pedestrians crossing the street.

As the number of citations increase, the hope is that texting while driving will become a thing of the past reducing the number of distracted driving accidents that occur every year. Putting phones away on the road will make the  journey safer for everyone.

Texting while driving is still a problem in Iowa.  If you have been injured in car accident by a distracted driver, contact the Des Moines personal injury attorneys of Hemminger Law Firm for help at 515-283-2116.