As the summer season winds down, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across Iowa to combat impaired driving. Last year, 54 traffic fatalities occurred in Iowa during the final weeks of summer, with 44 percent involving some form of chemical impairment. To avoid a similar situation in 2024, officers will participate in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign, which begins today (Friday) and runs through Sept. 2. GTSB Law Enforcement Liaison Randy Kunert says, “We want drivers to understand it’s law enforcement’s first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to make a plan. The drive sober/ride sober campaign is an awareness effort to spread the message that impaired driving is illegal, and it takes lives.” As Iowans host their final celebration of the summer break as school begins, drivers are urged to designate a sober driver, use rideshare services, or take advantage of local sober ride programs. As of Aug. 16, Iowa has recorded 182 traffic fatalities in 2024, 7.61 percent below the five-year average but still four percent over the five-year low.
