Beginning tomorrow (Friday), law enforcement will be out in force on Iowa’s roadways in preparation for Labor Day holiday travelers. Iowa State Patrol Trooper and District 4 Public Resource Officer Shelby McCreedy says motorists on Highway 30 will especially notice the increased presence, as it will be the focus of a special initiative over the weekend.
The Highway 30 project coincides with a Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) impaired driving awareness campaign. McCreedy says recent data show that alcohol-related crashes and injuries tend to rise at the end of summer.
The upcoming weekend also marks the end of a two-week national program from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) aimed at reducing traffic fatalities.
As of Aug. 30, the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) has recorded 250 traffic fatalities so far this year. That figure is 31 deaths, or 14.16 percent, higher than last year and 42 deaths, or 20.19 percent, higher than the five-year average.
