(Radio Iowa) – A bill to make it illegal to be handling or scrolling on a cell phone while driving has cleared a Senate subcommittee — and two women from Mount Pleasant were at the subcommittee’s hearing yesterday (Wednesday) to urge lawmakers to act. In 2023, Judi Collara’s 30-year-old daughter Kristi was hit at an intersection in Mount Pleasant by a texting driver who didn’t see the light was red.

“Driving’s a privilege and to choose to text instead of drive puts other people at risk and so we ask you to pass it and hope that we can save some lives and save families the agony of losing their loved one,” she said. “My daughter’s never going to call me again and say: ‘I love you, mom.'” In 2022, Berta Pearson’s 20 year old grandson was setting up a construction zone on the Mississippi River bridge at Burlington when he was hit and killed by a driver checking the Snapchat app on her cell phone.

Judi Collara, on right, and Berta Pearson, wearing a button featuring a photo of her late grandson, speak with a state senator after today’s subcommittee hearing. (RI photo)

“We have to do something,” she said. “We can’t let more kids die just because somebody thought they needed to be on that silly phone.” A 2017 law banned texting while driving, but police say it’s hard to enforce since it’s still legal in Iowa for drivers to handle their phones to make calls or check navigation apps. Waukee Police Chief Chad McCluskey spoke on behalf of the Iowa Police Chiefs Association at yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) hearing.

“Our hearts go out to those of you who have lost family members as a result of distracted driving,” he said. “The current texting bill presents a lot of challenges with enforcement and we applaud the governor and legislative leadership for taking this up this year and trying to get something passed.” Earlier this month, Governor Reynolds used part of her Condition of the State address to again call on lawmakers to pass a law saying motorists may only use cell phones in voice activated or hands-free mode while driving.