• Home
  • News
    • Politics & Government
    • Business & Economy
    • Crime / Courts
    • Health / Medicine
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Radio Iowa Poll
  • Affiliates
    • Affiliate Support Page
  • Contact Us
    • Reporters

Radio Iowa

Iowa's Radio News Network

You are here: Home / Fires/Accidents/Disasters / Iowa’s “life toll” ahead of traffic fatals figure

Iowa’s “life toll” ahead of traffic fatals figure

March 11, 2011 By Matt Kelley

At least 48 motorists have avoided serious injury or death in traffic crashes in Iowa this year because they were wearing a seat belt. Scott Falb keeps track of the so-called “life toll” for the Iowa Department of Transportation. He says the life toll figure is well above where it was at this time last year. “In fact, this is the first year that our life toll numbers have been larger than our fatality numbers this far into March,” Falb said.

So far this year, 37 people have died in traffic accidents in Iowa – down from 48 at this time in 2010. DOT statistics show 93% of Iowa motorists wear a seat belt. Around half of the people who are killed in crashes in Iowa are unbelted motorists. “That means half of our fatalities are coming from the seven-percent of people who don’t buckle up,” Falb said. “That’s an awful large number from a small number of people who are just not buckling up.”

The state’s life toll began with the implementation of the Iowa seat belt law in 1986. Falb says, since that time, 6,443 people have been recorded as having their life saved because they were wearing a safety belt.

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Filed Under: Fires/Accidents/Disasters

Featured Stories

Exhibit features lesser known works of Grant Wood

Testing finds 21 new CWD cases in deer

It may become a crime in Iowa to use fake urine in workplace drug tests

February trending 18 degrees below average temperature

Iowa House Education Committee votes to end tenure at UI, ISU, UNI

TwitterFacebook
Tweets by RadioIowa

Iowa State looks to avoid winless Big-12 season

New look and new format at girls’ state basketball

Youngstown State takes action against assistant football coach

Iowa’s Jack Nunge lost for the season

Key stretch begins for #9 Iowa

More Sports

eNews and Updates

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Archives

Copyright © 2021 ยท Learfield News & Ag, LLC