Texting and driving is officially banned in Iowa as of July 1st. It will be considered a secondary offense, though, so police cannot pull you over solely for the act of texting. The state is also giving drivers a chance to get used to the ban. For the first year, officers will be issuing warnings. After that, according to KELO-TV, officers will decide how to proceed on a case-by-case basis.

KELO-TV reports that, Sioux County Chief Deputy Sheriff Jason Bergsma says, “The number of complaints about erratic driving has gone up just as texting has become more popular.” He hopes that this ban will help the number of those complaints go back down.

Texting and driving can cause serious accidents. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident, call an experienced Iowa automobile accident lawyer at 877-327-2600.