There was a statewide special enforcement action last week that was coordinated by the Iowa State Patrol’s Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force in conjunction with local law enforcement agencies. The focus, according to District 4 Trooper and Public Resource Officer, Shelby McCreedy, was on speed throughout the Sept. 16 initiative. Early this year excessive speeds were identified as the leading cause of fatal crashes and had increased dramatically over the past 18 months. Recent reports showed speeds of more than 100 miles per hour were becoming disturbingly common and that there was a 74 percent increase in speeds over 25 miles per hour or more from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31 of 2020. Most alarming, however, was a reported total of 1,497 citations for speeds over 100 miles per hour, a 108 percent increase. McCreedy adds it is not uncommon to clock motorists at more than 120 miles per hour on roadways across the state. District 4 has now reported the results of their efforts last Thursday which showed 152 total contacts with 38 speed citations and 54 warnings. There were also nine seat belt and 15 other traffic citations and 36 warnings for various traffic violations. Three suspended drivers were cited and law enforcement responded to one property damage accident. The Iowa State Patrol District 4 serves Carroll, Audubon, Crawford, Greene, Guthrie, Harrison, Monona and Shelby Counties and is located in Denison.
