The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and Iowa law enforcement agencies are teaming up to save lives this 4th of July holiday by asking everyone to buckle up. July 1 – 7, 2013 law enforcement agencies around the state will be conducting “High Visibility” enforcement, cracking down on traffic violators, especially those motorists and occupants not buckled up.

Since its inception in 1986, Iowa’s seat belt law has been a primary law, allowing officers to pull over violators solely for not being belted. A seat belt violation citation will cost you $127.50. If that isn’t enough to entice you to buckle up, how about increasing your chances of surviving a crash by 50%. Banking on not being involved in a crash is simply not good math.

As of June 12, 2013, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation, Iowa has experienced 117 traffic fatalities in 2013. While this is a reduction of 38 fewer deaths than this time last year, every death is one death too many! According to the same data, more than 38.5% or 37 of our fatalities involved individuals who were not using a seat belt. Help yourself and your family/friends Buckle Up every for every trip regardless of the distance.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and Iowa law enforcement agencies wish everyone a safe and happy 4th of July. Please remember if you invest 3 seconds to buckle up each time you start up your vehicle, you can make the difference in surviving a serious crash. “Buckle Up! Day or Night!”

During the July sTEP wave in 2012, nearly 16,000 total traffic violations including 1,223 seat belt and 4,753 speed violations were reported by 1,444 enforcement officers and 226 agencies around the state.

For more on the 4th of July mobilization, please visit www.iowagtsb.gov or contact:

Randy Hunefeld
sTEP Coordinator
Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau
515-725-6124
hunefeld@dps.state.ia.us

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press
FORT MADISON, Iowa (AP) – A Corrections Department spokesman says a break-in at a prison construction site in Fort Madison resulted in the theft of computers and software that detail facility drawings. The theft occurred June 19 at the construction site for the new Iowa State Penitentiary. Items stolen included laptop computers and tools.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Des Moines police say they plan to keep a pilot program that lets plainclothes officers focus on burglary investigations. The Des Moines Police Department says four officers began carrying out the special duties five months ago after an increase of burglaries in the city. The burglary detail squad has made nearly 100 felony arrests for burglary, theft, forgery and wanted subjects.

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) – An auto repair shop in Muscatine says an employee has died from injuries sustained during severe weather that damaged his work area. The Krieger Auto Group posted on its Facebook page that the male employee died Monday from injuries caused the weather.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Republican state Rep. Mark Lofgren says he will run to represent Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District. The Muscatine lawmaker says he wants to bring “fiscal responsibility” to Washington. The seat covers the southeastern part of Iowa and is currently held by Democrat Dave Loebsack.