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Governor Reynolds signs law to ban handling cell phones while driving
Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the bill that will make it illegal to handle a smartphone while driving, starting July 1.
“Thirty states across the country have passed hands-free legislation, and today,y Iowa becomes the 31st and I’m grateful because this legislation will save lives,” Reynolds said during a bill signing ceremony in her office at the Iowa Capitol.
Reynolds was surrounded by dozens of people, including the families of Iowans who have died in accidents caused by distracted drivers.
“It’s especially meaningful that we’re gathered on this day, April 2. Exactly two years ago, Roland Taylor was killed by a distracted driver, and of the nine minutes the driver was in the car, he spent seven on his phone,” she said. “Roland should be in here today, and although we grieve his absence, I’m honored to sign the ‘Hands Free’ bill into law in his memory, and we do the same for every Iowan killed due to distracted driving.”
Roland Taylor of Terril was driving an antique tractor on Highway 71 in Clay County when his tractor was hit from behind, and he was thrown into a ditch. Governor Reynolds called Taylor’s daughter, Angie Smith, last week when the bill finally passed the Iowa House.
“Dad was always about giving, and if this saves one life, he would have been so proud,” Smith said today.
Smith spoke with reporters after the bill signing ceremony. “We’ve met other families here today that have gone through this, and if it can save one life or…even to have a little bit of justice to those people that caused these accidents, I think that’s very important.”
Nina Todd of Shenandoah has been lobbying for this law since being critically injured in an accident in late 2010. “We were heading home to put up Christmas stuff and everything. A girl that was speeding, passing on a hill and text driving hit me head-on and both my sons, age 5 and 4, passed away,” she told Radio Iowa. “I was injured (and) life flighted to Omaha and unfortunately I did not get to attend my kids’ funeral.”
Todd held photos of her sons in her arms during the bill signing ceremony, and she asked the governor to sign the photos. “I’ve gone to Washington, D.C. and traveled around talking and trying to spread the word, just trying to get this passed in multiple states and it feels great to have it passed in my home state finally because this year is very special because my youngest would be graduating from CAM high school,” Todd said, pausing before adding, “so it’s very, very special to me right now.”
Peter Bengston’s 28-year-old daughter, Ellen, was on a Sunday afternoon bicycle ride just outside Charles City on August 2, 2020, when she was struck and killed by a distracted driver.
“The guy that mowed her down in his pickup truck was trying to buy a boat while reading social media and never saw what he hit and literally on camera admitted that he was using his phone, had to turn around and found her body in the ditch,” Bengsten said, “and my wife and I have been advocating and trying to improve the law.”
A judge threw out the vehicular homicide charge filed in this case because the prosecutor was unable to prove the driver was touching his phone when he hit Bengston. Peter Benston told reporters it’s been frustrating that it took lawmakers so long to pass this law.
“This year when we got confirmation that it had been passed by the House, my wife and I were ecstatic. We were in tears, we just embraced each other — in a good way,” Benston said. “The last few years it was kind of the opposite, right?… Why can’t they see this common sense law will save lives in Iowa?”
Governor Kim Reynolds said data from neighboring states shows that making it illegal to handle a cell phone while driving will reduce accidents. “Minnesota saw a 31% reduction in crashes in year one and a 25% in the second year,” Reynolds said. Likewise, Illinois saw a 22% reduction in crashes in the first year and 6% in the second years.”
Reynolds also cited a recent study indicating a 10% reduction in distracted driving in Iowa will prevent over 12-hundred crashes, 700 injuries and six deaths. Starting July 1, Iowa law enforcement officers may begin giving warnings to motorists caught illegally handling a phone while driving. Then, starting January 1, 2026, those who violate the law will be fined $100.
