Citations for texting while driving continue to climb.
The Iowa State Patrol said Friday that it has issued six times more citations than it did a year ago.
The Iowa State Patrol, which said a new law that allows officers to stop drivers who are texting, said they have issued 1,131 citations. That number has jumped from 182 in the prior year.
“Put down your phone and focus on your driving,” said Sergeant Nathan Ludwig of the Iowa State Patrol. “Every day and every night, Troopers are on the lookout for drivers who are texting when they should be focused on their driving.”
The new texting-while-driving law that took effect a year ago made texting while driving a “primary” offense, the ISP said. That means an officer can stop a driver and issue a citation for texting while driving.
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