Message Monday - Buckle up - every seat, every time
Whether you’re loading the family up for a vacation or picking up friends for a dinner date, do you make sure everyone is securely buckled?
With some exceptions, Iowa law requires all children under age 18 to be in an appropriate car seat, booster, or seat belt, no matter where they are seated in the vehicle. Unfortunately, adults over the age of 18 are only required to buckle in the front seat.
Even though it’s not mandatory in Iowa law, having every person in your vehicle securely buckled up can reduce serious injuries and save lives in a crash. In Iowa, data from the last 10 years show that unbuckled, adult passengers in the back seat are three times as likely to be killed in a crash compared to those who are belted.
See more about the importance of seat belts - https://youtu.be/C7ibsm_R1g4
For 2019, there have been 166 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of seven since last Monday. The 2018 fatality count stands at 318. This is subject to change as law enforcement reports are completed. 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.