In Iowa the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is currently partnering with law enforcement across the state to fight distracted driving.

Iowa State Trooper Shelby McCreedy says that according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, there were 9,201 crashes in the state caused by distracted drivers in 2022, leading to 20 deaths, 3,652 injured individuals and over $81 million in property damages. She adds that law enforcement like the Iowa State Patrol and other local departments will be making stops as part of the GTSB’s “U Drive. U Text. U Pay” campaign geared towards curbing the number of distracted drivers.

The GTSB encourages the use of hands free options whenever possible, especially when using a mobile device. They also encourage limiting distractions when using mobile devices by putting them in “driving mode.”