Cambridge, MA — September 8, 2025 — Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT), the world’s largest telematics service provider, today released new research showing Iowa’s hands-free law is already reducing distracted driving. In the first month after the law took effect, distraction fell 3.9% statewide. CMT estimates the law has helped prevent over 20  crashes, 10 injuries, and $980,000 in economic damages in July.*

CMT’s analysis shows phone motion distraction fell steadily after the law’s passage. In June, drivers averaged 1 minute and 12 seconds of distraction per driving hour. After the law began in July, that figure fell to 1 minute and 10 seconds. The sharpest decline came in the first week after the law began, dropping to 1 minute and 7 seconds per hour, 7.5% lower than June’s average. CMT defines phone motion distraction as when a phone moves with its screen on while a vehicle is in motion.

CMT also found that handheld calling decreased. Average handheld call time fell 9.8% from June to July, dropping from 27 seconds to 24 seconds per driving hour. The biggest decline came in the first week of July, when handheld call time dropped 18.7%. CMT defines a handheld call as a call in progress with audio coming from the device while the vehicle is moving.

The study analyzed more than 25 million trips in Iowa between June 1, 2025, and July 31, 2025, measuring changes in distraction before and after the law took effect.

“The data show Iowa’s hands-free law is already reducing distraction and making roads safer,” said Tim Vogel, GM of Public Sector at Cambridge Mobile Telematics. “By sustaining this momentum with enforcement and awareness, Iowa has the opportunity to prevent more crashes, protect more families, and save more lives.” 

The law, which went into effect on July 1, 2025, prohibits drivers from holding or manually using an electronic device while driving, except in a hands-free mode. This includes bans on typing, scrolling, entering GPS coordinates, watching videos, and making calls without voice activation. Drivers can comply by using phone mounts, Bluetooth, speakerphone, auxiliary cables, or voice command systems.

Iowa’s hands-free law is a primary enforcement measure, allowing officers to stop drivers for using a device. During the initial period from July 1 through December 31, 2025, officers will issue warnings. Beginning January 1, 2026, penalties will escalate: $100 for a standard violation, $500 if the violation causes bodily injury, and $1,000 if it results in a fatality.

*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.

About Cambridge Mobile Telematics

Cambridge Mobile Telematics (CMT) is the world’s largest telematics service provider. Its mission is to make the world’s roads and drivers safer. The company’s AI-driven platform, DriveWell Fusion®, proactively identifies and reduces driving risk, leading to fewer crashes and injuries, making mobility safer. To date, CMT’s technology has helped prevent over 100,000 crashes worldwide. CMT partners with insurers, automakers, commercial mobility companies, and the public sector to measure risk, detect crashes, provide life-saving assistance, and streamline claims. Headquartered in Cambridge, MA, CMT operates globally with offices in Budapest, Chennai, Seattle, Tokyo, and Zagreb. Learn more at www.cmt.ai.