Message Monday - Steer it, clear it - Move crashed cars to shoulder
Do you know what to do in the event of a fender bender where no one is injured? Iowa law (House File 313 to amend Iowa Code 321.262) requires the drivers of vehicles involved in a crash where there are no serious injuries to move the vehicles out of the driving lanes of traffic.
The change was made to improve the safety of those involved in the crash, as well as others on the roadway. Getting out of the way of oncoming traffic is one of the most important things you can do to keep you safe and help avoid another crash happening in the same area, also called a secondary crash.
There are approximately 55,000 crashes in Iowa every year. For every minute a lane is blocked, the risk of a secondary crash increases by roughly 2.8 percent. That means the likelihood of another crash happening is very high after about 30 minutes.
Distractions are a main cause of secondary crashes. Remember to give your full attention to the task of driving and be on the lookout for incidents ahead of you on the road - http://www.weareiowa.com/news/local-news/how-to-avoid-a-nasty-crash-on-the-highway/814512723
The fatality count of 292 is an increase of four since last Monday. In all of 2016, 402 people were killed on Iowa highways. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf