May 12, 2026
DES MOINES, Iowa - The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is partnering with law enforcement across Iowa to support the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Click It or Ticket high-visibility enforcement effort. This seatbelt-focused enforcement campaign will run from May 18-31, 2026.
Seatbelts remain the single best defense against serious injury, and while most Iowans take safety seriously, even one unbuckled fatality is too many. In 2025, 121 people who died in Iowa traffic crashes were not wearing a seatbelt. These unrestrained occupants accounted for 47% of all 2025 traffic fatalities, a tragic number that is entirely preventable.
“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. “If this enforcement effort helps people to change their habits and start buckling up consistently, we’ll consider the mission a success.”
All it takes is one click and a few seconds to protect yourself and your loved ones every time you get in the car. Make safety a habit by buckling up in every seat, every time.
GTSB works with city, county, state, and local organizations to develop and implement strategies to reduce death and injury on Iowa roads using federally funded grants.
Click It or Ticket campaign resources
Source: Iowa DOT Crash Analysis Tool
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 seven 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, Professional Development and Support Services Division, 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
215 E 7th St
Des Moines, IA 50319