Message Monday - Pandemic habits: Binge watching - yes Binge speeding - no

June 29, 2020

For many of us, the extra time at home these last few months meant watching a lot of TV. Many businesses and locations were shut down or workers may be doing their jobs from home, resulting in a significant reduction in the amount of traffic on Iowa roadways.

During this slow-down, law enforcement officers from state and local agencies remain out on the roads. What they are seeing is eye-opening. It seems some drivers see less traffic as a green light to significantly exceed the speed limit. Law enforcement stopping speeders at more than 100 mph used to be rare, but recently has become all too common.

Message Monday - Excess speed is not our "new normal"

June 22, 2020

While you might still be figuring out what everyday life looks like while living with COVID-19, one thing hasn’t changed – our need to be safe behind the wheel.

During the height of the pandemic, traffic was cut in half on some Iowa roads. With fewer cars on the road, it appears that some people saw less traffic as an opportunity to travel at much higher speeds.

Message Monday - Flying through Iowa could cost you your license

June 15, 2020

Welcome back to Message Monday! With summer kicking into gear and more people getting out and about, we are seeing a significant uptick in speeding citations in Iowa, especially those drivers clocked at more than 25 miles per hour over the speed limit. The number of speeders ticketed for traveling 100+ mph has also gone up significantly.

The fact of the matter is that law enforcement is still out there doing their jobs and speeding, particularly excessive speeding, is never safe, no matter how much traffic is on the road. It decreases your reaction time and can be extremely dangerous if you come upon other traffic moving at a different speed than you are. As traffic continues to increase on the roads, drivers who are used to having an “open road” are going to need to be prepared to react to the actions of other drivers.

Message Monday - Been drinking? Swallow your pride and ask for a ride

March 16, 2020

St. Patrick’s Day is upon us. If you like to celebrate by having a drink or two, make sure you don’t rely on the luck of the Irish to get you home safely. Plan for a ride share or designate a sober driver, but if that doesn’t work out, here’s a program to check out – Two to Go - http://bit.ly/2Q9afD3

Message Monday - Too many cars are crushed by heavy eyelids

March 9, 2020

Are you missing that hour of sleep you lost over the weekend? Springing forward every year is a sign that warmer weather is on the way, but it can also mess with your sleep cycle and cause you to be drowsy behind the wheel. Unfortunately, drowsy driving can happen at any time of the year, not just during the switch to Daylight Savings Time.

How big is the problem of drowsy driving? Just think about yourself. How many times have you caught yourself nodding off behind the wheel? Drowsy driving crash data is very difficult to calculate, although The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that driving drowsy causes more than 100,000 crashes, 1,550 deaths, and 71,000 injuries every year.

Message Monday - Texting, Sam I am? I would not, could not, in a car

March 2, 2020

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” Dr. Seuss

With today being designated National Read Across America, we’re giving a nod to Dr. Seuss who provided so many wonderful books that have endured over the decades.

Reading is one common trait of successful people. Of course, you shouldn’t have your nose in a book or eyes on your phone while you’re driving, but did you know the signs above the highway are positioned specifically so you can read them without taking your eyes off the road?

Where ever you go and whatever you do, remember that safety is up to you. As Dr. Seuss penned, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”