BETTENDORF-- It happens dozens of times a day. Officer Jeff Scott sees people put their lives at risk by texting and driving, and he can't do anything about it.
"I would say Iowa is behind," says Bettendorf Police Chief Phil Redington.
According to the National Safety Council, in the US, texting and driving causes one out of every four accidents on the road.
Officer Scott sees people doing it, but as Iowa law stands now, he can't pull over this distracted driver in the red car without citing him for something else first. In this case it was a plate violation.
"He put a plate on his car that obstructs the view of the license plate," says Officer Scott.
He pulls the man over, asking him what he was doing on his phone. The driver says he was sending a text to find out where he had to drop his son off for baseball practice because he was running late.
This afternoon this dad gets off with a warning and a friendly reminder that text can wait.
"I think the most important thing to your son is you making it to that practice," says Officer Scott.
The law, if signed by the governor, would make texting and driving a primary offense, but not things like making calls or using your phone as a GPS.
It would go into effect in July.