This weekend, the Iowa State Patrol and local law enforcement are kicking off the Iowa Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force’s fourth special initiative of the year. As with the previous three initiatives, Trooper and District 4 Public Resource Officer, Shelby McCreedy, says law enforcement will have an increased presence on Iowa roadways with a specific focus heading into the weekend.
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According to McCreedy, the statistics related to distracted driving are alarming. For example, motorists using hand-held devices behind the wheel are four times more likely to be involved in a crash resulting in serious injuries. In 2015, 551 non-occupants, meaning pedestrians, bicyclists and others, were killed in distraction-affected crashes. McCreedy says it can be easy to forget you are piloting a 3,000-pound vehicle at highway speeds.
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Most people think of their cell phones when referring to distracted driving, but there are actually three general types. Manual distractions cause a driver to take their hands off the wheel, visual distractions pull their eyes off the roadway and cognitive distractions occur when somebody does not give their full attention to driving. While nobody is exempt from the dangers of these distractions, McCreedy says young drivers are especially at risk.
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The latest Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force initiative runs from Saturday, Oct. 2, through Monday, Oct. 4. As of Thursday, 254 deaths have occurred on Iowa roadways in 2021, 10 more than this time last year. The eventual goal for fatal accidents in Iowa is zero, but the incremental goal for this year is under 300. If achieved with help from drivers, it would be the first time since 1925 that fatalities were under 300.