A Special Traffic Enforcement Program, or STEP, is underway now through June 1st.
Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner says this STEP focuses on making sure people are belted in, and that drivers aren’t impaired or driving distracted. Distracted driving is becoming a larger problem in Iowa, Gardner says, and he urges motorists to concentrate on the road…
Gardner says cell phones are the focus of much attention during this STEP, and phones will be even more top-of-mind later this summer…
Law officers will only be able to give you a warning for now, but starting January 1st, holding a cell phone while driving may bring a 100-dollar fine. Gardner, who’s based in Fort Dodge, urges anyone who may be drinking during holiday weekend events to find a safe way home, whether it’s through a designated driver, a taxi or a ride-sharing service. Also, he reminds, seat belts save lives…
A report from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau finds 44-percent of the people who died on Iowa roads last year were unbuckled, which translates to 108 lives lost. In a G-T-S-B survey of Iowans, 88% reported always buckling up in the front seat, while 67% say they always buckle up in the back seat.
credit to Radio Iowa/KQWC)
