Americans check their phone on average 205 times a day or around once every five minutes. With phones seldom out of reach, it can be difficult to moderate usage in an increasingly connected world. For many people, this habit can persist even when behind the wheel, but the distraction it provides can have real consequences.
On July 1, Iowa law enforcement will begin distributing warnings for the handheld use of electronic devices while driving. Here’s how to break texting and driving habits before then to avoid a penalty, or worse.
For background, Senate File 22, signed on April 2, 2025, bans the handheld use of cellphones and other electronic devices while driving when not in hands-free or voice-activated mode. Officers will begin enforcing the act on July 1, and will begin penalizing violations on Jan. 1, 2026. Drivers convicted of a violation will be charged with a simple misdemeanor after Jan. 1.
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“People need to recognize that operating an electronic device while they’re driving is a distraction, and that distraction can cause harm to others and themselves,” said Larry Loss, an active cyclist and Des Moines metro resident since 1993.
Loss was crossing an intersection on his bike on May 18, 2022, when a young male driver, who was on his phone, made a right turn directly in front of him. Loss was cut off from the bike trail and collided into the curb, which propelled him into the concrete base of a utility pole. The injuries he sustained resulted in two surgeries, 17 days in the hospital, and left him unable to return to work for two months. The driver of the car never stopped.
Loss joined Luke Hoffman, director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Scott Sumpter, founder of BikeIowa, and many others for the 21st annual Ride of Silence on Wednesday.
Loss says drivers should determine if their vehicle has Bluetooth capability and get the system set up as soon as possible to prepare for the changes in the law. If not, researching a compatible Bluetooth adapter or external system will allow drivers time to familiarize themselves with this technology before the law goes into effect on July 1.
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“If you have text messages, emails, phone calls that you need to handle, do that right as you get in the car,” said Luke Hoffman, executive director of Iowa Bicycle Coalition.
Hoffman and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition were major supporters of Senate File 22, with some members advocating for some form of a hands-free bill for more than 10 years. He believes that this act is a “fundamental leap forward for safety in Iowa.”