The number of traffic fatalities in Iowa has dropped sharply this year and could reach a 100-year low. Some law enforcement officials point to the state’s new law banning the handling of a cellphone while driving as a key factor.
Larry Grant, the state safety planner for the Iowa Department of Transportation, says officers have been issuing warnings for the past six months and will begin issuing citations Jan. 1. Grant says the full impact of the law on traffic safety is expected to be seen in 2026.
The current highway death toll in Iowa is around 260. The number of traffic fatalities has not fallen below 300 in decades.
