(Undated)– The month of April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month in Iowa. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the state this week in a special enforcement campaign to address the problem.
Authorities say more than 9,000 crashes on Iowa roadways in 2022 were caused by distracted or inattentive drivers, resulting in 20 deaths, more than 3,600 injured people and over $81 million in property damage. Nationally, officials say more than 32,000 people died in crashes caused by distracted driving across the country from 2011 to 2020.
In Iowa, distracted driving is a primary law meaning law enforcement officers can pull over any driver who is texting or using any portable electronic device, unless the motor vehicle is at a complete stop and off the traveled portion of the roadway.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau encourages drivers to use hands free options and to limit distractions by enabling the ‘driving’ focus on their phones.
