SLOW DOWN!! Police Say More Speed Traps on I-380 Today

From Linn County Sheriff's Department:

As Memorial Day arrives and brings with it the “unofficial” start of summer, area Law Enforcement wants to remind all drivers on Iowa’s highways to drive carefully. We are very aware that we all have busy lives; getting children to school, doctor appointments, and ball practice, working extra hours and getting too little sleep, trying to conduct business on the phone as we travel to our next destination, summertime parties…and the list goes on. We encourage drivers to stop and think about their responsibilities before they get behind the wheel and pay attention to their driving habits. Here are some sobering facts to think about:

• Excessive speed is the number one contributing factor in Iowa fatal traffic crashes. In 2011, traffic crashes involving excessive speed resulted in 67 deaths and in the first nine months of 2012, speeding-related crashes have killed 78 people in Iowa. 

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates the annual economic cost to society of speeding-related crashes is $40.4 billion. 

• In 2011, Iowa had 679 traffic crashes as a direct result of a distracted driver. 

• Tragically, 16 persons have been killed in Iowa crashes where cellular telephone use was involved. 

• Drivers who use hand-held devices are 4 times more likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. Text messaging creates a crash risk 23 times worse than driving while not distracted. 

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury to front-seat passenger car occupants by 45% and light-truck occupants by 60%. 

• Alcohol is one of the leading causes of fatal traffic crashes. In Iowa, alcohol is second only to excessive speed as a contributing factor in overall traffic crashes.

• Although every hour in the U.S., 161 impaired driving arrests are made, one person still dies every 51 minutes because someone choses to drive drunk. 

In an effort to reduce the number of traffic accidents and ensure our highways are safe, officers from the Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Cedar Rapids Police, Hiawatha Police, and Iowa State Patrol will conduct enhanced traffic enforcement on I-380 on Tuesday, May 28. 

On behalf of all area Law Enforcement, we hope you and your family have a safe Memorial Day weekend and summer.