(Radio Iowa) – The number of crashes and deaths in Iowa attributed to drivers being distracted by their smartphones continues to climb, and a study finds a simple, free feature that’s already on our phones could help to prevent many of those accidents.

Brian Ortner, spokesman for AAA Iowa, says the “Do Not Disturb” function can be activated in just seconds and it may hold the key to curbing risky behavior behind the wheel.

“Just look on your phone, in your settings,” Ortner says. “There should be that ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature and in some cases on some phones, you can set up a message that if somebody sends you a text, it says, ‘Hey, I’m driving, I’ll message you when I’m done.’ Same thing when somebody calls you.”

The AAA study found some drivers mistakenly think using the “Do Not Disturb” feature will limit access to music and navigation, which it won’t.

(AAA graphic)

“Before the study, half the participants didn’t know that there was a feature on their phone,” Ortner says, “85% reported not knowing how to use it, and 65% didn’t know it to be turned on automatically when driving was detected.”

Federal studies show distracted driving contributes to about nine-percent of all fatal crashes. In Iowa last year, the DOT says there were more than 2,500 crashes attributed to distracted drivers, including ten deaths and 54 serious injuries. The AAA study found even drivers who knew about the “Do Not Disturb” feature tended not to use it.

“The younger drivers, those 18 to 24 who are more prone to using their phone for a lot more than just conversations, they tend to be more knowledgeable about the ‘Do Not Disturb’ feature settings than older generations,” Ortner says, “but their confidence in the use of the phone suggests while driving they may not see it as a necessary feature.”

Last month, Governor Kim Reynolds signed the “Hands-Free” bill into law which makes it illegal to hold your phone while driving, though using “hands-free” or voice-activated mode is still allowed. The law takes effect in July. Law officers will only be able to issue warnings until January 1st, when $100 fines begin.