May 15, 2023
DES MOINES, IA — The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is urging Iowans to buckle up during the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. The national seat belt campaign, which coincides with the Memorial Day holiday, is May 22-June 4, 2023.
In 2022, 55% of traffic fatalities in Iowa were unbelted or unknown. So far, in 2023 that number is about 60%. It is perceived everyone wears a seat belt, yet over half of our fatalities are unrestrained. This translates to 100’s of lives lost over the last few years.
“No matter the type of vehicle you’re traveling in, where you’re seated, or what type of road you’re driving on, the best way to protect yourself in a crash is to buckle up,” says Brett Tjepkes, Iowa GTSB Bureau Chief. “Unfortunately, many families are suffering because their loved ones do not follow this simple step. If this enforcement effort alerts people to the dangers of unrestrained driving, we’ll consider the mission a success”.
If you know a friend or a family member who does not buckle up, please talk to them about changing their habits. Help GTSB and our law enforcement partners spread this lifesaving message before one more friend or family member is killed. Seat belts save lives, and everyone — front seat and back, child and adult — needs to buckle up.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau works with city, county, state, and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce deaths and injuries on Iowa’s roadways using federally funded grants.
Access ‘Click It or Ticket’ assets here.
Source: Iowa DOT, NHTSA
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