NCOIL readopts distracted driving model law as states report double-digit crash drops

Ohio, one of the earlier states to adopt a hands-free law modeled on the NCOIL framework, has seen double-digit reductions in distracted-driving crashes and overall fatalities since enactment, along with less phone use behind the wheel, according to data from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Public Safety combined with telematics data. Iowa’s hands-free law showed an even sharper shift, with traffic deaths falling 27% compared with 2024 levels, reaching a century low fatality rate in 2025, alongside telematics-measured drops in on-screen tapping, handheld calling and phone-motion events while driving.