Traffic enforcement program set over Independence Day weekend

E-mail this story

Print this story

Share

To prevent death and injury, Iowa law enforcement is reminding the motoring public to buckle up, slow down and drive sober during the upcoming holiday weekend.

With 11 traffic fatalities over the recent Memorial Day weekend, motorists should be aware the next tragic accident is just a lane change, cell phone call, drunken driver or holiday away. In 2008, Iowa roadways claimed 412 deaths, including nine over the Fourth of July weekend.
Beginning today and continuing through Sunday, nearly 250 city, county and state law enforcement agencies — including the Newton and Prairie City police departments — across Iowa will participate in a special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) in an effort to keep people safe as they travel.

The sTEP projects are funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau through a program with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This money enables more officers to work more hours on roadways all across the state during times of the year when travel increases and traffic accidents, injury and death are most probable.

“Too many people still take the attitude that it will never happen to me,” sTEP Coordinator Randy Hunefeld said. “But fatal crashes can and do happen every day. We’ve made a lot of progress, but there are still too many people in Iowa dying because they are unbuckled, speeding and driving intoxicated.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. In 2007, 41,059 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes. Of those individuals, 12,998 were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher.

Iowa law enforcement officers need the public’s help and are asking every Iowan who gets behind the wheel to buckle up and drive responsibly. For more information, visit www.iowagtsb.org or www.stopimpaireddriving.org.