BURNSVILLE, Mn (June 26, 2017) – In recognition of the recently passed legislation in Iowa that makes texting a primary traffic violation, AAA – The Auto Club Group, has provided the Iowa State Patrol with1,000 CELLslips (www.cellslip.com) to use in enforcement and education efforts starting June 27th.   The CELLslips serve as a reminder to put your phone away and avoid distractions while you’re driving.

As fatalities have risen statewide and nationally over the last few years, it is no surprise that distracted driving has been identified as a significant contributing factor.  In a recent Traffic Safety Culture Index Survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, several statistics stand out:
Cell phone use while driving is widespread. More than 2 in 3 drivers report talking on their cell phone while driving in the past month, and nearly 1 in 3 say they do so fairly often or regularly.
Most drivers view texting or emailing while driving as a very serious threat to their own personal safety and consider it completely unacceptable. However, nearly 1 in 3 (31.4%) admit to typing or sending a text message or email while driving in the past month, and 2 in 5 (40.2%) report reading a text message or email while driving in the past month.

Sergeant Scott Bright, Public Resource Unit Coordinator for the Iowa State Patrol, says “The Iowa State Patrol is committed to doing everything possible to educate motorists of the dangers related to cell phone use in vehicles, as well as protecting those who travel on our roadways. Technology has become one of the biggest threats to the safety and welfare of the motoring public, and we are dedicated to both enforcement and continued education with the goal of reducing traffic crashes and fatalities in Iowa and across the nation.” Bright says “The Iowa State Patrol appreciates the continued support from AAA to help [us] achieve [those] goals and save lives!”