By RYAN SKAITH
Beginning Thursday, Jan. 1, Iowans caught handling a smartphone while driving could face a $170 ticket, a total that includes the fine, court fees, and additional charges.
While the law officially took effect July 1, law enforcement officers have spent the last six months issuing warnings rather than citations to allow for a transition period. According to Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Alex Dinkla, state troopers had issued approximately 10,000 warnings by the end of November.
Brett Tjepkes, chief of the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau, noted that Iowa modeled its "soft rollout" after other states with similar "hands-free" laws. To support this educational phase, his agency printed 60,000 information cards to help motorists understand the new restrictions.
The educational cards were distributed at every rest area and driver’s license station across the state, and law enforcement officers have also been handing them out during traffic stops.