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Iowa lawmakers to consider hands-free driving bill

Iowa lawmakers to consider hands-free driving bill
MUCH RICHER THAN I AM. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. A NEW PLAN TO END DISTRACTED DRIVING IS MAKING ITS WAY TO STATE LAWMAKERS NEXT MONTH. THE IOWA BICYCLE COALITION AND DOZENS OF OTHER GROUPS ARE PUSHING A NEW HANDS FREE DRIVING BILL. vlog SENIOR REPORTER TODD MAGEL IS AT THE IOWA STATE HOUSE TO EXPLAIN HOW IT WORKS. NOT MUCH HAPPENING HERE AT THE STATEHOUSE TODAY, BUT SOON THE LEGISLATURE WILL RETURN. AND ON THE TOP OF THEIR DEBATE LIST, A NEW HANDS FREE DRIVING BILL AFTER JANUARY 1ST, 2025, 30 STATES WILL HAVE A HANDS FREE DRIVING LAW. YEAH. LUKE HOFFMAN WANTS IOWA TO BE 31. THAT WOULD MEAN 1263 INCIDENTS THAT WOULD BE PREVENTED. THAT’S 706 CRASHES. THAT’S SIX LIVES SAVED EACH YEAR. HOFFMAN IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE IOWA BIKE COALITION. IT’S JOINING MULTIPLE SAFETY, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INSURANCE GROUPS TO SPONSOR A NEW HANDS FREE DRIVING BILL IN IOWA. TEXTING WHILE DRIVING IS ALREADY ILLEGAL. THE NEW BILL WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO USE A PHONE UNLESS IT’S VOICE ACTIVATED OR HANDS FREE, OR USED BY DRIVERS IN AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT. SO YOU HAVE A BAN ON DRUNK DRIVING. YOU HAVE A BAN ON TEXTING WHILE DRIVING, AND THE NEXT ITERATION, THIS IS THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP IN THAT PATH TO REALLY COMPLETE THE PICTURE. WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING AND EQUIPPING LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY TOOLS TO GET THEIR JOB DONE, WHICH IS TO BAN THE USE OF HAND-HELD CELL PHONES WHILE DRIVING, WHICH IS WHAT HANDS FREE MEANS. DRIVERS WE TALKED TO WORRY THE BILL MIGHT BE TOO STRICT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE SAFE ON THE ROAD, BUT MAYBE I’D BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT BANNING IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES COME ALONG AND YOU KNOW IT. YOU KNOW, THINGS CHANGE. I’M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THE POLICYMAKERS TO GET IT DONE AND START SAVING SOME LIVES. MAKE OUR STATE THE BEST PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PLAY. THE 2025 LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINS ON JANUARY 13TH, AND SUPPORTERS OF THE HANDS FREE DRIVING BILL SAY THEY FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE VOTE IN DES MOINES. TO
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Iowa lawmakers to consider hands-free driving bill
A new hands-free driving bill is set to be debated by Iowa lawmakers next month.The Iowa Bicycle Coalition and dozens of other groups are pushing a new hands-free driving bill.After Jan. 1, 2025, 30 states will have a hands-free driving law. Luke Hoffman wants Iowa to be 31."That would mean 1,263 incidents that would be prevented. That's 706 crashes. That's six lives saved each year," said Hoffman, the executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. The coalition is joining multiple safety, law enforcement, and insurance groups to sponsor a new hands-free driving bill in Iowa.Texting while driving is already illegal.The new bill would make it illegal to use a phone unless it's voice-activated or hands-free or used by drivers in agricultural equipment."So you have a ban on drunk driving. You have a ban on texting while driving in the next iteration. This is the next logical step in that path to really complete the picture. When it comes to providing and equipping law enforcement with public safety tools to get their job done, which is to ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, which is what hands-free means," Hoffman said.Drivers we talked to worry the bill might be too strict."It's important to be safe on the road. But maybe I'd be cautious about banning it because, you know, different technology's come along and, you know, things change," said Jerome Schmidt, a driver."I'm looking forward to working with the policymakers to get it done, start saving some lives, make our state the best place to live, work, and play," Hoffman said.The 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 13, and supporters of the hands-free driving bill say they feel good about the vote.» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google PlayGet the latest headlines from vlog

A new hands-free driving bill is set to be debated by Iowa lawmakers next month.

The Iowa Bicycle Coalition and dozens of other groups are pushing a new hands-free driving bill.

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After Jan. 1, 2025, 30 states will have a hands-free driving law. Luke Hoffman wants Iowa to be 31.

"That would mean 1,263 incidents that would be prevented. That's 706 crashes. That's six lives saved each year," said Hoffman, the executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition.

The coalition is joining multiple safety, law enforcement, and insurance groups to sponsor a new hands-free driving bill in Iowa.

Texting while driving is already illegal.

The new bill would make it illegal to use a phone unless it's voice-activated or hands-free or used by drivers in agricultural equipment.

"So you have a ban on drunk driving. You have a ban on texting while driving in the next iteration. This is the next logical step in that path to really complete the picture. When it comes to providing and equipping law enforcement with public safety tools to get their job done, which is to ban the use of hand-held cell phones while driving, which is what hands-free means," Hoffman said.

Drivers we talked to worry the bill might be too strict.

"It's important to be safe on the road. But maybe I'd be cautious about banning it because, you know, different technology's come along and, you know, things change," said Jerome Schmidt, a driver.

"I'm looking forward to working with the policymakers to get it done, start saving some lives, make our state the best place to live, work, and play," Hoffman said.

The 2025 legislative session begins on Jan. 13, and supporters of the hands-free driving bill say they feel good about the vote.

» Download the free vlog app to get updates on the go: |

Get the latest headlines from vlog