As we move into 2017, I wanted to share some updates from the GTSB. In 2016, Iowa unfortunately saw an increase in traffic fatalities by 27%, which resulted in 400 lives lost. With the new year, Iowa GTSB's goals include:
- Reduce impaired driving fatalities to < 25%.
- The most effective way to stop drunk driving it to prevent it from happening in the first place.
- Increase seatbelt usage to 95%.
- Buckling up only takes 2 seconds - there's no reason not to do it.
- Reduce crashes caused by distracted or drowsy driving.
- While difficult to measure, it is estimated that in the U.S. 11 teenagers die each day due to texting and driving, and that 8,000 lives are lost annually from drowsy driving.
- Reduce excessive speeding on the road.
- This is the number one cause of fatal crashes.
