Iowa Governor Terry Branstad is urging lawmakers to pass a package of tougher traffic laws, incluing a crack down on texting while driving.
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Branstad says his worry is “distracted” driving and he has proposed boosting penalties for drivers who hit motorcyclists, bicyclists or pedestrians and are texting while driving. Senator Tim Kapucian, a Republican from Keystone, says the ultimate goal should be “hands-free” cell phone use within a vehicle.
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Kapucian is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. He expects the panel to review these and other proposals related to distracted driving but he’s not predicting what may pass. At least 402 people died in crashes on Iowa roadways in 2016 and state troopers say excessive speed was a factor in many crashes.