TRANSPORTATION MATTERS for IOWA

Roadside Chat - Fly under the radar by obeying the speed limit


1-27 fly under the radarSometimes it’s great to be noticed. Getting recognition when you’ve done something well is awesome. Getting noticed for breaking the law is the kind of attention most of us avoid by abiding by safety rules and good driving habits.  

During the pandemic, law enforcement officers from around the country saw a significant increase in speeding violations in excess of 100 mph. Unfortunately, we’re still seeing an alarming number of people significantly exceeding the speed limit. To help keep you safe, law enforcement has been working to stop these dangerous speeders.

Data from citations issued by the Iowa State Patrol shows that 1,112 drivers were cited for speeds more than 100 mph in 2022. That number is a slight decrease from both 2020 (1,497) and 2021 (1,205), but it is still nearly double the number in 2019 (659). These numbers do not include the number of excessive speeders stopped by other law enforcement agencies.

In Iowa in 2022, there were 3,636 crashes where law enforcement officers noted, “exceeding authorized speed,” “aggressive driving” or “driving too fast for conditions” as contributing factors.

As a result of those crashes:

  • 47 people died
  • 178 people were seriously injured
  • More than 1,200 people sustained lesser injuries
  • Nearly $37 million in damages were reported

Watch your speed when you’re behind the wheel. Your loved ones are counting on you to arrive safely.

Speeders may be flying high, but the Iowa State Patrol flies higher - https://www.kcrg.com/video/2022/05/11/iowa-state-patrol-preventing-speeding-by-air/

So far this year in Iowa, 17 people have been killed in a traffic crash. That’s an increase of three from last Friday. In Iowa in 2022, there were 338 traffic-related deaths. 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

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