Did you know that you can be ticketed for having your phone in your hand while driving? Whether you were stopped at the stop light, just changing the song, answering a phone call while it was on speaker… it doesn’t matter. As long as the phone is in your hand, you can be ticketed in Iowa. 

This is one Iowa law among many that is in effect as of Jan. 1, 2020, in Iowa that will especially affect teenagers. 

Another new law in Iowa is that you have to be 21 years old to purchase nicotine products. This may not directly affect students at Wahlert, but it may affect people they may know. 

 Brady Woods, ‘21, thinks the new laws are good ideas. 

“I think these laws will be very helpful for the youth of America. The ban on electronic devices while driving will help prevent the likelihood of an accident. Neither of these laws affect me directly, however, especially the nicotine one as I have never had the urge to use a nicotine product,” said Woods. 

The law regarding electronic devices while driving may cause teens to think twice before picking up their phone to change the music or return a text to a friend. 

Mia Kunnert, ‘22, agrees the law is a good one especially because she finds herself often easily distracted by her phone when she is behind the wheel.

“I think this law will be a great step towards safer roads for all drivers. I live in Wisconsin, so this doesn’t directly affect me, but I do spend most of my time in Iowa, so the progress being made is good to see,” she said. 

As for the increase in age to purchase a nicotine product, Ivy Dearstone, ‘21, thinks the law should have existed sooner.

“I think that raising the age to purchase nicotine is something that needed to be done way before vapes were created. It would have prevented thousands of teens and other users from becoming addicted,” said Dearstone. 

The use of phones while driving and nicotine purchases by youth are both very real problems in our world today. The changes that were made are arguably good. But what if they are too late?