(Des Moines)– Look for an increased presence of law enforcement officers on the roads as we head into the Thanksgiving holiday period. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner says they’ll have one key focus…
“Seatbelt enforcement and seatbelt education. We’ll see a significant increase in travel this week so we just want to make sure everyone is safe, buckled up, doing what they’re supposed to be doing and get to where they need to go safely.”
Gardner says a lack of seatbelt usage remains a major factor among the motorists they pull over…
“Sometimes we will come across a vehicle and it’s blatantly obvious that they are not wearing a seatbelt. If we’re stopping them for another violation such as speeding or running a stop sign or texting and driving, we look for that seatbelt.”
Gardner says the Iowa State Patrol will be working overtime this Thanksgiving week across Iowa…
“We try to be fully staffed. We get funding through the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, GTSB. We’ll get some extra funding through them to work overtime so we’ll have extra troopers throughout each district, especially on our busy traveled roadways like Highway 20, Highway 30, I-80, I-35.”
A number of local agencies also have additional officers and deputies on the roads.
