Iowa’s new hands-free driving law goes into effect on July 1st

MASON CITY — Iowa’s new hands-free driving law goes into effect on July 1st. Governor Reynolds signed the bill into law back in April.

The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Pete Hjelmstad says the new law means all drivers must use electronic devices in a hands-free setting, unlike the current law which allows limited uses of devices.   “You are not supposed to be using your cell phone, but you can use your navigation system, you can’t text, but there are things you can do with your phone right now. Starting July 1st, everything is hands-free. You cannot be typing in addresses, you cannot be holding your cell phone to your ear. Everything has to be hands-free starting July 1st. Iowa is the 31st state to do a law like this.”

Hjelmstad says law enforcement will be aggressive in enforcing the new law, but he says there’s also an initial warning period for the new law.  “You’ve got kind of a grace period from July 1st until December 31st, there going to be giving out warnings. Come January 1st, it goes full force. Be aware, start changing now and be safe, that’s the bottom line.”

If you want more information about Iowa’s new hands-free law and consider what hands-free options will work best for you and your vehicle, you can find that information by heading to https://dps.iowa.gov/hands-free-law-materials or DriveSmartIowa.com.