Iowa’s hands-free driving law is no longer a warning on the horizon. Enforcement is active across the state, and the rules are stricter than many drivers realize. If you commute through Johnston or anywhere in the Des Moines metro, the law now affects how you drive and what happens if a distracted driver causes a crash.
What Senate File 22 Actually Requires
The law, known as Senate File 22, prohibits drivers from holding or manually using an electronic device behind the wheel. That covers cell phones, tablets, laptops, and gaming devices.
You can still use these devices, but only in hands-free or voice-activated mode. Think Bluetooth, a phone mount, or voice commands. The moment you pick the device up, you’re in violation.
Common actions that now count as breaking the law include:
- Texting or scrolling while the vehicle is moving
- Typing GPS coordinates by hand
- Streaming video on a handheld screen
- Placing or holding a call without a hands-free setup
The signing happened on April 2, 2025, making Iowa the 31st state to adopt this kind of legislation.
The Penalties Are Real
A standard violation carries a $100 fine. Court costs often push the real total closer to $170.
But the penalties climb quickly when injuries are involved. A violation that causes serious injury adds a $500 fine and a possible 90-day license suspension. When a violation results in a death, the additional fine rises to $1,000 with a suspension of up to 180 days.
These citations are classified as moving violations. That means they land on your Iowa DOT record and can raise your insurance rates.
Why This Matters for Injury Claims
Here is where the law changes things for crash victims. A handheld device citation on a police report is strong evidence of negligence. It gives an injured person a much firmer footing when an at-fault driver tries to shift blame.
Evidence That Helps Your Case
When a distracted driver causes a collision, the citation often opens the door to cellular records. Those records can show what the driver was doing at the moment of impact. Combined with the new moving violation status, it becomes harder for insurers to argue that fault is unclear.
This is one reason an experienced Johnston, IA car accident lawyer can make a real difference after a serious crash. The right attorney knows how to preserve this evidence early, before it disappears.
Compensation You May Be Owed
If a distracted driver injured you, you may be entitled to recover several types of losses, including:
- Medical bills, both current and future
- Lost wages from time away from work
- Pain and suffering tied to the injury
The team at Law Group of Iowa handles most injury and accident cases on a contingency fee basis. In plain terms, you owe no attorney’s fees unless the firm recovers compensation for you.
How a Local Attorney Helps After a Distracted Driving Crash
Distracted driving cases move fast, and the evidence is time-sensitive. Phone records, surveillance footage, and witness accounts can fade or get overwritten. A Johnston car accident lawyer who understands Senate File 22 can act quickly to build the strongest possible record of what happened.
Local knowledge matters too. An attorney familiar with the Polk County courts and how local insurers handle these claims can anticipate the arguments before they come.
If you or someone in your family was hurt by a distracted driver, consider speaking with an attorney who handles these cases regularly. Reach out to Law Group of Iowa to discuss what happened and learn how the hands-free law may strengthen your claim.
