It is not unusual to have a statewide Special Traffic Enforcement Program, or sTEP, initiative over a holiday period, but this year Iowa is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for a three-week long national program. Beginning on Friday, Dec. 13, law enforcement agencies across the country and locally will be concentrating on traffic enforcement and education. Carroll Chief of Police, Brad Burke, outlines the focus of the 2019 Drive Merry, Bright and Sober this Holiday Season campaign.
Burke says that even though those numbers may be low, there are other ones that have been on the rise in recent years.
The officers have the discretion to issue either warnings or tickets, but Burke says there really is no excuse in this day and age for not wearing a safety belt. This year’s Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) holiday enforcement will also involve a majority of area agencies.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson Police Department also typically participate. During this three-week period, travelers will definitely notice more officers on the roadways.
The holiday enforcement will run from Dec. 13 through Jan 1, 2020.
