August 21, 2020
DES MOINES, Iowa - In July 2020, State Patrol agencies in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska joined forces to address the dangerous trend states are seeing with drivers traveling at excessive speeds, and to encourage drivers to take personal responsibility to keep roadways safe. The five State Patrols issued more than 33,000 speeding citations and removed 1,264 impaired drivers from the region's roadways.
In Iowa alone, Iowa State Patrol Troopers issued 7,809 speeding citations, 114 impaired driving and 686 seat belt citations. Summer is a high-traffic volume month for the Midwest and across the country with an increase in road trips, especially now in a year shaped by the current public health emergency.
βThese traffic trends are alarming and unprecedented,β says Iowa State Patrol Colonel Nathan Fulk. βHigh speeds are not only making our Iowa roadways less safe on a daily basis for all of us, but speeding is one of the leading contributing factors in fatality crashes. We need motorists to understand that this type of driving behavior is not the new normal.β Since January 2020, the Iowa State Patrol has seen a 113% increase in citations issued (780) for speeds exceeding 100 mph over the four-year average, and a 70% increase in citations issued for speeds of 25 mph or more over the posted speed limit (2,119).
The region seeks to reduce the number of speed-related crashes each year. In 2018, the region saw 683 speed-related deaths or 28% of those killed in regional traffic crashes. As traffic returns to its normal rate, it is important to continue safe driving practices. Everyone has a role to play in promoting traffic safety on our roads and in our neighborhoods.
To see an additional message from NHTSA Deputy Administrator, James Owens, about the rising dangers of speeding, visit https://bit.ly/SpeedAdvisorySpot. For more information on the risks involving speeding, please visit www.nhtsa.gov/speeding.
ABOUT THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
The Iowa Department of Public Safety (DPS) is the largest law enforcement agency in the state. It includes six divisions and several bureaus, all working together with local, state and federal government agencies and the private sector, to keep Iowa a safe place by following our core values: leadership, integrity, professionalism, courtesy, service and protection. Divisions within the Iowa DPS: Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa State Fire Marshal Division, Iowa Division of Intelligence and Fusion Center, and Administrative Services Division. The Department of Public Safety is led by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Governor.
Iowa Department of Public Safety
215 E 7th St
Des Moines IA 50319
https://dps.iowa.gov
215 E 7th St
Des Moines, IA 50319