A new texting ban will soon take place in Iowa restricting cell phone usage while driving.
A series of laws was passed earlier this month banning cell phone usage while driving. The new ban will be effective starting July 1 in the state of Iowa. These new laws restrict anyone under the age of 18 from using a cell phone or electronic device for any reason. It also bans anyone over the age of 18 to use a cell phone to read or write a text message or email while driving.
Violators of this new ban will be punished with fines ranging from $30 to $100 for being caught under these new laws. Violators of these laws that cause serious injury or abuse could be fined up to $1,000.
These laws were added to get rid of distractions that could potentially cause an accident. “They need to understand that people are going to do what they want regardless of the law. The government is sitting on an unequivocal position and accidents, phone-related or not, are indeed going to happen regardless of this law. This new law will now supercede any thought of doing something as harmless as being on your cell phone,” said Kameron Beets, sr., about the new texting ban.
Violators of the new law will have to be cited for another reason aside from texting to get pulled over for texting while driving. “I guess it could go either way for me. I do text when I drive, but I do it mostly when I’m stopped at a red light. I don’t think that it will be that big of a deal,” said Troy Reynolds, jr., about the new texting laws.
There will be a one year learning period for the new laws to go into effect. This learning period will be to warn violators about these laws before having them going in effect.
MOHAMMED CHEETANY
