Memorial Day weekend is predicted to be one of the busiest travel holidays in many years, and law enforcement is already putting a stronger presence on Iowa’s roads. State trooper Paul Gardner, who’s based in Fort Dodge, says drivers need to keep their cool and use their heads.
“We can’t stress enough how important it’s going to be to drive safe, obey the speed limit, and make sure you’re wearing your seatbelt,” Gardner says. “If you do any kind of celebrating for Memorial Day that involves alcoholic beverages, we really highly stress the importance of getting a designated driver to get you home safe.”
The summer driving season is looming which means more traffic and the potential for more roadway deaths.
“Iowa’s fatality rate is lower than what it has been the last couple of years and we want to maintain that,” Gardner says. “Right now, we’re sitting at 99 traffic fatalities to date, compared to a much higher rate that we were at this time last year. So right now, we’re seeing an 18% reduction in traffic fatalities. We definitely want to make sure that we’re maintaining that.”
With kids out of school, those of driving age will be getting behind the wheel in greater numbers, which Gardner says can be a problem, since many aren’t very experienced drivers yet.
“Summertime is a deadly time, it seems, especially for teenage drivers,” he says. “That’s what we call the 100 deadliest days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. We see an increase in teen driver incidents as well.”
A report from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau says 45% of traffic fatalities in Iowa last year were people who were unbuckled. That translates to 123 lives lost. A bureau survey of Iowans found 88% reported always buckling up in the front seat, while only 67% always buckle up in the back seat.
(By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City)