Message Monday - I love you more than bacon. Drive Safely- Dad

June 17, 2019

By looking at the greeting cards in the Father’s Day section, you tend to notice themes about dear ol’ dad. Bad jokes, sports, food, and devotion to family are a few.

One way dad (or mom) can show dedication to family comes behind the wheel. Parent interaction during a teen’s driver education is critical to success. A new program called The Parent’s Supervised Driving Program gives valuable information to parents to encourage safe driving behaviors. The accompanying Road Ready app makes tracking your teen’s time with you behind the wheel learning how to drive easier.

Message Monday - If you're a rider, don't be a slider. All seats buckled

June 10, 2019

Seat belt use by adult rear-seat passengers isn’t required by Iowa law, but buckling up every seat, every time is a smart habit that could save not only your life but others in the car with you. Crash research shows unbuckled passengers get thrown around during a crash potentially causing severe injuries or even death to others in the vehicle.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, drivers are twice as likely to be killed in a crash if the backseat passenger behind them is unrestrained. With the popularity of rideshares like Uber and Lyft, the question of dangers from unbuckled backseat passengers has made headlines.  

For 2019, there have been 118 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of five 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.

Message Monday - No texts, no books, no dirty looks

June 3, 2019

With this week’s Message Monday, we’ve taken the liberty of updating the traditional end-of-school rhyme “No more pencils, no more books, no more teacher’s dirty looks” to fit today’s information age behind the wheel.

How many times do you see someone texting and driving? Do you know what’s legal and what isn’t? Even if you’re stopped at a stoplight the ONLY things that are legal to do on your phone while in the driving lane of the road are talk on the phone and use GPS.

Message Monday - Old Glory waves for lives lost - drive safely

May 27, 2019

When Memorial Day was first envisioned in 1868 following the Civil War, it was to be a day of remembrance of those who lost their lives in battle.  

In the years since the meaning has broadened to include all those friends and family members who have gone before us. It’s a day to visit cemeteries and decorate gravesites.

For those loved ones who have tragically died in crashes, Memorial Day can be just one more difficult day for friends and family to endure. What makes the day even more tragic is that the majority of those deaths could have been prevented.

Message Monday - Driving half lit is not very bright

May 20, 2019

What does it mean to be impaired? Maybe you’ve had a couple of drinks, but you don’t consider yourself to be drunk. Or you may have taken a drug (legal or otherwise) that makes you feel not quite yourself.

If you have to ask, “am I okay to drive?” You already have your answer.

While the legal blood alcohol limit in Iowa is .08, impairment can come at much lower levels and both legal and illegal drugs can cause impairment.

Message Monday - Don't snap our friends snap your belt

May 13, 2019

Snapping friends on social media can be a fun way to stay connected. A quick pic here and there allows you to “see” into the daily life of those you care about.  But snapping while you are behind the wheel is extremely dangerous. It takes your focus off the task of driving and puts you at a greater risk of being involved in a crash.

The good news is there is a good snap that is encouraged behind the wheel-the snap of your seat belt. This particular snap is a welcome sound to help keep you and your passengers safer in the event of a crash.

So buckle up! You never know what’s in store for your ride - https://youtu.be/yKHUGvde7KU

For 2019, there have been 96 fatalities reported. That’s an increase of seven since last Monday. The 2018 fatality count stands at 316. 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.