2008 Woodie Awards
Traffic fatalities in Iowa jump in July
Melanie Kucera - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Metro
- Page 1 of 1
Traffic fatalities in Iowa in the month of July were at their highest level since 1999, 12 deaths above average for the same month in the previous five years.
The Iowa Department of Transportation said 51 people were victims of deadly crashes in July, compared with an average of 39 in July during 2002-06.
The Iowa DOT attribute the spike to a rise in the number of motorcycles on the road, as well as the July 2005 change in the Interstate speed limit from 65 to 70 mph, said Tom Welch, a DOT traffic-safety engineer. He said many drivers also continue to be distracted by cell phones.
Getting Iowans to buckle up also been an ongoing struggle, he said.
"It continues to be a problem especially with back-seat occupants … half of these fatalities [occurring in July] were not wearing seat belts," Welch said.
Iowa law does not require back-seat passengers to buckle up.
Dena Gray-Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Iowa DOT, said unbuckled back-seat passengers become "projectiles in the back seats" that lead to other deaths.
"[The jump in fatalities] do make sense," said UI sophomore Kelly Trettin. "I always thought they should possibly raise the driving age" or younger drivers should have their learner's permit longer.
Although officials say Iowa has a 90 percent seat-belt compliance rating - high compared with other states - the state nevertheless has seen many people unbuckled, especially teens.
Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of those 16-24, according to the Iowa DOT website.
To help push the seat-belt issue, the Iowa transportation authority has created the Sweet Ride Contest.
Targeted at people between 14 and 24 years old, visitors to the website are able to watch a short video regarding car safety, and they can potentially win a new car if they score high enough on safety exam, Gray-Fisher said.
"It is something educational, something fun, and a great way to win a car," she said.
During the recent Labor Day weekend, there were two car crashes causing teenage fatalities in Iowa. One occurred in Des Moines, leaving three people dead and four injured - all were between 14-22 years old.
On Aug. 31, a 14-year-old teenager was killed and four others were injured when their minivan swerved off the road.
Only four car accidents resulting in fatalities have occurred this year in Johnson County as of Tuesday. During the same period of time in the county in 2006, seven fatalities were reported.
E-mail DI reporter Melanie Kucera at:
melanie-kucera@uiowa.edu
The Iowa Department of Transportation said 51 people were victims of deadly crashes in July, compared with an average of 39 in July during 2002-06.
The Iowa DOT attribute the spike to a rise in the number of motorcycles on the road, as well as the July 2005 change in the Interstate speed limit from 65 to 70 mph, said Tom Welch, a DOT traffic-safety engineer. He said many drivers also continue to be distracted by cell phones.
Getting Iowans to buckle up also been an ongoing struggle, he said.
"It continues to be a problem especially with back-seat occupants … half of these fatalities [occurring in July] were not wearing seat belts," Welch said.
Iowa law does not require back-seat passengers to buckle up.
Dena Gray-Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Iowa DOT, said unbuckled back-seat passengers become "projectiles in the back seats" that lead to other deaths.
"[The jump in fatalities] do make sense," said UI sophomore Kelly Trettin. "I always thought they should possibly raise the driving age" or younger drivers should have their learner's permit longer.
Although officials say Iowa has a 90 percent seat-belt compliance rating - high compared with other states - the state nevertheless has seen many people unbuckled, especially teens.
Car crashes are the No. 1 killer of those 16-24, according to the Iowa DOT website.
To help push the seat-belt issue, the Iowa transportation authority has created the Sweet Ride Contest.
Targeted at people between 14 and 24 years old, visitors to the website are able to watch a short video regarding car safety, and they can potentially win a new car if they score high enough on safety exam, Gray-Fisher said.
"It is something educational, something fun, and a great way to win a car," she said.
During the recent Labor Day weekend, there were two car crashes causing teenage fatalities in Iowa. One occurred in Des Moines, leaving three people dead and four injured - all were between 14-22 years old.
On Aug. 31, a 14-year-old teenager was killed and four others were injured when their minivan swerved off the road.
Only four car accidents resulting in fatalities have occurred this year in Johnson County as of Tuesday. During the same period of time in the county in 2006, seven fatalities were reported.
E-mail DI reporter Melanie Kucera at:
melanie-kucera@uiowa.edu
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