Roadside Chat - Traffic deaths up 10%. That's scary.
With Halloween just around the corner, lots of people are scrambling for last-minute costumes and binge-watching movies meant to conjure up the perception of danger. While that scary sensation can provide fun and entertainment, Iowa’s roads are no place for a fright.
The number of fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and friends killed on Iowa’s roads is up nearly 10 percent over last year at this time. If you consider the five-year average of people killed on our roads, the percentage increase is even higher at nearly 13 percent.
While not every crash can be avoided, there are four basic actions that can help prevent the vast majority of deaths.
- Drive sober.
- Give your full attention to the task of driving.
- Buckle up, every seat, every trip.
- Slow down and drive chill.
Thank you to the many drivers who are diligent and safe behind the wheel. Please join the fight for safer roads by connecting with us as we discover, together, what drives you to be a safer driver:
- Website: https://whatdrivesyouiowa.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhatDrivesYouIowa
- Instagram: @whatdrivesyouiowa (https://www.instagram.com/whatdrivesyouiowa/)
- X: @WhatDrivesYou (https://twitter.com/whatdrivesyou)
So far this year in Iowa, 304 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of six since 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