While most Iowans are enjoying time off this Labor Day holiday — many law officers will be putting in some extra time. The leader of the Iowa Highway Patrol, Colonel Robert Garrison, says they’re continuing their “Over the limit, under arrest” program for drunk drivers.
Garrison says Iowa is one of the safest states in the nation when it comes to drunk drivers, but he says there’s more work to do. Garrison says officers across the state are taking part in several special enforcement programs such as “CARE.” He says that’s Combined Accident Reduction Effort which is a national state police initiative where officers work together to cut the number of drunk drivers. There’s also the “STEP” program which is a combined effort among state and local officers to reduce speed and alcohol consumption.
Garrison says they will focus on the roads where they’ve historically seen the most problems. Garrison says there’ll be special emphasis on the interstates, but the main focus is on the two-lane roads where there have been the most fatal accidents.
Garrison says everyone can help by slowing down, not drinking and driving and wearing their seatbelts. Garrison says hundreds of officers will be out on the roadways working to make them safer.