By Tom Foley, Iowa Capital Dispatch
Iowa cyclists participating in Ride of Silence 2025 sit for each injured cyclist, lie down for each cyclist killed on the roads in the past year, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, outside State Historical Society of Iowa. (Photo by Tom Foley/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Americans check their phone on average 205 times a day or around once every five minutes. With phones seldom out of reach, it can be difficult to moderate usage in an increasingly connected world. For many people, this habit can persist even when behind the wheel, but the distraction it provides can have real consequences.
On July 1, Iowa law enforcement will begin distributing warnings for the handheld use of electronic devices while driving. Here’s how to break texting and driving habits before then to avoid a penalty, or worse.
For background, Senate File 22, signed on April 2, 2025, bans the handheld use of cellphones and other electronic devices while driving when not in hands-free or voice-activated mode. Officers will begin enforcing the act on July 1, and will begin penalizing violations on Jan. 1, 2026. Drivers convicted of a violation will be charged with a simple misdemeanor after Jan. 1.
Here are some tips from four Iowans who work to decrease distracted driving in their communities on how to break the habit for good:
Understanding the risks
“People need to recognize that operating an electronic device while they’re driving is a distraction, and that distraction can cause harm to others and themselves,” said Larry Loss, an active cyclist and Des Moines metro resident since 1993.
Loss was crossing an intersection on his bike on May 18, 2022, when a young male driver, who was on his phone, made a right turn directly in front of him. Loss was cut off from the bike trail and collided into the curb, which propelled him into the concrete base of a utility pole. The injuries he sustained resulted in two surgeries, 17 days in the hospital, and left him unable to return to work for two months. The driver of the car never stopped.
Loss, however, considers himself to be one of the “lucky ones,” as he can still tell his story.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2023, 3,275 lives were lost and around 325,000 were injured in crashes related to distracted driving. Around 8% of all fatal crashes involved distracted driving.
The day of the crash, BikeIowa was holding its 18th annual Ride of Silence. Every year since 2005, cyclists from across Iowa have gathered to remember the riders injured and killed on the roads and trails in the past year, celebrate current achievements, and discuss how to continually make the roads safer for bikers going forward.
Scott Sumpter, founder of BikeIowa, reads from a list of recorded cycling accidents at the 21st annual Ride of Silence, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, outside the State Historical Society of Iowa.(Photo by Tom Foley/Iowa Capital Dispatch)
Loss joined Luke Hoffman, director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, Scott Sumpter, founder of BikeIowa, and many others for the 21st annual Ride of Silence on Wednesday.
Loss says drivers should determine if their vehicle has Bluetooth capability and get the system set up as soon as possible to prepare for the changes in the law. If not, researching a compatible Bluetooth adapter or external system will allow drivers time to familiarize themselves with this technology before the law goes into effect on July 1.
Identify triggers
“If you are tempted to reach for your phone in the cup holder, maybe leave it in your bag” said Ryan Crane, executive director of NAMI Iowa.
Crane is the executive director of the Iowa branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI Iowa registered in favor of Senate File 22 during the legislative process. NAMI Iowa works to help communities address concerns about mental illness and provide information on treatment.
A 2024 report from reviews.org, found not only that Americans check their phones over 200 times a day on average also that the figure represented a 42.3% increase from 2023. The survey also showed that over 43% of Americans feel addicted to their phones — and like other addictions, the habit is not easy to break.
Crane recommends drivers compassionately but intentionally observe themselves as they drive to understand what triggers them to pick up their phone. NAMI Iowa and other mental health institutions have recently begun to promote the importance of self-compassion as the standard for mental health practices.
Research by the Stanford Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education indicates that self-compassion is a learnable mindset that is linked to decreased stress and increased productivity. These things can play a major role in personal ability to identify and modify behaviors. By understanding what triggers the impulse, without excessive self-judgment, each driver can implement a solution that works for them.
“Awareness is honestly the first step,” Crane said.
Some solutions may include finding another activity to replace the habit, such as anchoring their hands on 10 and two, placing their phone out of arm’s reach, regularly creating new playlists to prevent constant song-skipping, etc.
Finish online work before beginning to drive
“If you have text messages, emails, phone calls that you need to handle, do that right as you get in the car,” said Luke Hoffman, executive director of Iowa Bicycle Coalition.
Hoffman and the Iowa Bicycle Coalition were major supporters of Senate File 22, with some members advocating for some form of a hands-free bill for more than 10 years. He believes that this act is a “fundamental leap forward for safety in Iowa.”
Hoffman and the IBC plan to launch a “Safe Roads Iowa” educational campaign sometime after July 1, which seeks to educate local communities on best practices for driving safety.
Setting aside time to settle online to-dos before driving may grant drivers the peace of mind to put down the phone while on the road.
This can take the form of setting up GPS directions prior to starting the car, utilizing the “add stop” GPS function for each destination if there are multiple, enabling driving mode on Android devices or driving focus on Apple and ensuring no notifications are set up to bypass this feature, etc.
Rely on passengers
“If you have a passenger, designate them to be your phone person,” said Dr. Cara Hamann, director of the University of Iowa Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Safety Lab and UI associate professor of epidemiology.
Hamann and the TRIPS lab put together a policy brief that outlined “the gaps in the distracted driving laws in Iowa.” She also personally made visits to the Capitol to speak with legislators about her research and inform them about her findings.
Among facts outlined in the brief:
- State bans on handheld phones while driving reduce handheld usage of electronics devices shortly after the laws take effect by almost 50%;
- Handheld bans are associated with fewer driver deaths, while texting-only bans are not and may be more enforceable by law enforcement.
A designated phone user allows the driver to stay connected without investing in Bluetooth or other hands-free hardware. Designating a phone user ensures drivers aren’t tempted to pick up the phone themselves.
This may be a solution for drivers with non-integrated cars who can’t afford to invest in additional hardware. Other than working as a designated phone user, Hamann recommends passengers speak up if drivers go to grab their phone while on the road.
“We need to work towards a cultural shift to make it the norm for people not to be using their phones,” she said.
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