(Area) Law Enforcement will have a high presence on Iowa’s roadways over this Labor Day Holiday weekend. The Iowa State Patrol and local enforcement agencies participate in “Operation Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort.”
Iowa State Patrol Trooper and Public Information Officer Shelby McCreedy says Operation C.A.R.E starts today and runs through Monday. McCreedy says traffic patterns are expected to increase over the next four days significantly. “People are saying goodbye to summer with one more outing; it’s the ceremonial end to summer,” said McCreedy. “Obviously, there is going to be a dramatic increase in traffic over the holiday weekend. Statewide the four-day focus is on the behaviors and dangerous actions behind the wheel of a vehicle that leads to serious injury and fatal crashes.”
Trooper McCreedy says law enforcement will be identifying and adjusting to the dangerous behaviors of some motor vehicle drivers. “In 2020, we were getting back into the swing of things after the COVID-19 lockdown, and Labor Day weekend was fairly deadly when looking at the five-year average,” said McCreedy.
Last year eight fatalities occurred over the Labor Day Weekend; two were alcohol-related. McCreedy says on average, over the past five years, 6.5 people died in motor vehicle crashes over the Labor Day weekend. “This is one of those statistics we would like to bring down dramatically this year.”
Trooper McCreedy says law enforcement is looking for the following behaviors that typically lead to fatal or serious injury crashes. Excessive speed, seatbelt usage, impaired drivers, and distracted drivers. Trooper McCreedy says motorists should expect to see more officers out patrolling the roadways.
