Despite the economy and the fact the school year is underway, the Iowa State Patrol is still expecting plenty of traffic this holiday weekend. Trooper Scott Miller, who works at the Council Bluffs post, says the highways and interstates will be busy.
“Even if people stay close to home and camp at a local campground, they’re still going to get on the road,” Miller said. “Even if it’s a shorter trip than normal, there will still be quite a few people out there.” Miller is encouraging Iowans who are making a trip this weekend to allow plenty of time to get to their destination.
“The other biggie is…don’t be a distracted driver. Don’t use your cell phone while you’re driving and definitely don’t text while you’re driving,” Miller said. “If you can, pull over to the side of the road or wait until you get to your destination.” In addition, motorists are advised to expect road construction delays.
“Everyone knows there is quite a bit of road construction still going on and that could cause some delays, especially with the heavy traffic volume we’re expecting,” Miller said. The Iowa State Patrol has added extra troopers to monitor roads through Monday. During the Labor Day enforcement effort in 2008, the Iowa State Patrol arrested 47 motorists for O.W.I. and issued over 2,000 citations for speeding.
Story by Mike Peterson, KMA, Shenandoah