A new analysis from Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) shows distracted driving declined across Iowa during the first year of the state’s hands-free law. From July 2025 through May 2026, Iowa drivers reduced phone-motion distraction by 6.9% and handheld call time by 6.2%, helping prevent an estimated 470 crashes, 210 injuries, 3 fatalities, and $20.3 million in economic damage.*

The findings are based on more than 140 million trips taken by Iowa drivers and capture behavior before the law took effect, throughout the six-month warning period, and during the first months of full enforcement.

Iowa Prepared Drivers Through Education and Awareness Campaigns

The decline in distracted driving coincided with a statewide effort to educate drivers about the new law before full enforcement began. After Governor Kim Reynolds signed the legislation in April 2025, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Iowa State Patrol, and Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) launched public awareness campaigns to prepare drivers for the July 1 effective date.

Media coverage followed the law from the legislature through implementation and enforcement, helping keep the issue in front of drivers throughout the year. During the July–December 2025 warning period, Iowa State Patrol issued warnings while distributing educational materials, and the GTSB distributed 60,000 pamphlets through law enforcement agencies, rest areas, and driver’s licensing stations statewide.

Public interest rose alongside those efforts. Google search activity for “Driving Law” in Iowa increased after the bill was signed, peaked as the law took effect, and surged again when citations began in January 2026, suggesting the law remained top of mind as the state moved from warnings to full enforcement.

Phone motion declined nearly 7% one year later

CMT analyzed phone-motion distraction, which measures the amount of time a phone is moved while a vehicle is in motion. The month before the law took effect, Iowa drivers averaged 1 minute and 15 seconds of phone-motion distraction per driving hour. In July 2025, the first month of the warning period, phone-motion distraction fell by 4%. 

Reductions continued throughout the summer and fall, reaching 12.2% below June levels by December.  When citations began in January 2026, phone-motion distraction remained 10.9% below pre-law levels. Although the reductions moderated during the spring, distraction remained below June 2025 levels throughout the study period. From July 2025 through May 2026, phone-motion distraction averaged 6.9% below the pre-law baseline.

The reductions were widespread across the state. Eighty-five of Iowa’s 99 counties recorded lower levels of phone-motion distraction by at least 1%, including 9 of the state’s 10 most populous counties. Polk County reduced distraction by 9.2%, while Johnson County reduced distraction by 8.4%. The largest improvements were seen in Ringgold, Page, Calhoun, Wayne, and Lyon counties, where distraction declined between 13% and 17%.

The consistency of these reductions across both urban and rural counties suggests the behavioral shift occurred statewide.

*Most populous counties in Iowa

Handheld call time down 6.2%

CMT also analyzed handheld call time, which measures the amount of time drivers spend making calls directly through their devices rather than using hands-free technologies.

Before the law took effect, Iowa drivers spent an average of 27.2 seconds per driving hour on handheld calls. During the first month of the warning period, handheld call time fell 9.9%. In August, reductions reached 10.8% compared with pre-law levels.

Handheld call time gradually increased during the fall months, though it remained below June levels. When enforcement began in January 2026, handheld calling declined again, falling 6.9% below the pre-law baseline. The downward trend continued throughout the spring. By May 2026, Iowa drivers were spending 23.4 seconds per driving hour on handheld calls, compared with 27.2 seconds before the law took effect.

Overall, handheld call time averaged 6.2% below June 2025 levels during the first year of the law.

County-level results showed a similar pattern. Seventy-two of Iowa’s 99 counties reduced handheld call time by at least 1%. Among the state’s 10 largest counties, 6 experienced reductions in handheld call time by at least 3%. The biggest improvements were seen in Pocahontas, Carroll, Jones, Calhoun, and Howard Counties, ranging from 19.5% -28.5%

*Most populous counties in Iowa

Iowa’s Hands-Free Law Is Driving Lasting Change

CMT’s analysis shows that Iowa’s hands-free law, combined with public education, media outreach, and enforcement, led to measurable reductions in distracted driving statewide.

Some of the largest declines in distraction occurred during the warning period before citations began, highlighting the impact of awareness and education. Those gains continued after enforcement started on January 1, 2026, with distraction levels remaining below pre-law benchmarks throughout 2026. 

Education, awareness, and enforcement worked together to reduce phone use behind the wheel in Iowa. One year later, Iowa drivers are making safer choices and helping keep their roads safer. 

*Estimates are based on changes in crash rates from distracted driving, combined with the average crash cost of $23,954 from NHTSA’s report The Economic and Societal Impact of Motor Vehicle Crashes, 2019, and 2022 crash records reported by the State of Iowa.