AAA of Iowa has predicted that not only will this year’s Fourth of July holiday weekend be the busiest travel period ever, but it is expected to completely surpass the number of people taking to the roadways for any holiday. The most recent statistics on the national level are for 2017, and show 601 people died in motor vehicle crashes over that holiday period. Four of those were on Iowa roads. Sixty percent of those who died in alcohol-related crashes were in vehicles with a driver recording a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .15 or higher, nearly two times the legal limit of.08. This year, local police departments, sheriff’s offices and state patrol posts will once again band together in a special enforcement action, from July 3 through July 7, in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Carroll County Sheriff, Ken Pingrey, says his department routinely participates in these types of initiatives through the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau.
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The enhanced enforcement is heavily geared toward education about ways to ensure everyone’s safety on our roadways.
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Pingrey says law enforcement agencies that participate in the Special Traffic Enforcement Programs (sTEP) receive grant dollars from the state.
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Pingrey says with lower gas prices, nicer weather and plenty of celebrations, they are expecting it to be a very busy weekend.