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This episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

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This episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

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Consider taking the Daily News Podcast Survey. Find a full transcript of this episode at thegazette.com. This episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

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Find episode transcripts on thegazette.com. This episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.

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- Why Iowa struggles to pass hands-free driving laws

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Episode Transcript

Welcome to The Gazette’s Daily News Podcast for Monday, May 6, 2024. This podcast provides the latest headlines from the Gazette newsroom. I’m Becky Lutgen Gardner.

First, despite broad support, Iowa struggles to pass hands-free driving laws. Bills mandating hands-free technology to limit cellphone use while driving have been introduced in the Iowa Legislature since 2019, but all attempts at passage have been unsuccessful. More than 30 other states have passed such laws. Why doesn’t Iowa?

Advocates, fueled by personal tragedies like Ellen Bengtson's death in 2020, have relentlessly urged lawmakers to follow suit. Ellen was fatally struck by a distracted driver who was checking an app on his phone while doing over 55 miles an hour.

The absence of a hands-free law in Iowa resulted in the judge dismissing the case against the driver. Despite bipartisan and law enforcement backing, the latest distracted driving bill faced staunch resistance, notably from a libertarian faction within the GOP, citing concerns about individual liberties.

Rep. John Wills believes the focus should be on broader measures to curb distracted driving, not solely on phone

use. He argues, "Let’s not make the phone the enemy... Let’s cure the

disease rather than putting a Band-Aid on it."

Such arguments are drawing criticism. Luke Hoffman, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle

Coalition rejects the idea of a false choice

between freedom and safety. "What is the first responsibility of

government? It is to protect the people," Hoffman asserts.

Ellen's mother, JoAnn Bengtson, urges

drivers to prioritize safety and emphasize personal responsibility: "Put

your phone away... Turn your notifications off."

Despite these pleas, the legislative impasse

persists, leaving families like the Bengtsons grappling with profound loss.

"Justice in this case doesn’t bring our daughter back," Peter

Bengtson laments. "As a parent, you want to protect your daughter. It’s

something we’ll never get over."

Next,

advocates say a new law signed Friday

by Gov. Kim Reynolds will make Iowa’s roads and crosswalks safer.

The legislation extends the state’s crosswalk protection law.

Drivers in Iowa are now required to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.

The new law expands that requirement by requiring vehicles to yield to

bicyclists and pedestrians using mobility devices in crosswalks.

Iowa Bicycle Coalition executive director Luke Hoffman said, “Whether you

are out on the trails as a cyclist, a person with disabilities in a wheelchair,

a senior citizen on an electric scooter, a kid on a...

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Consider taking our Daily News Podcast Survey

We're considering some changes to the Gazette Daily News Podcast, but we want to hear from you before doing so. This episode's description has a link to a brief survey or you can visit thegazette dot com slash survey. We hope you take a few minutes to share your thoughts on this show. Thank you!

This episode was hosted and produced by Bailey Cichon.