DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa State Patrol is joining Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Arkansas in a five-state effort to crack down on excessive speed.
Speeding tickets for 100 miles-an-hour or more have more than doubled in Iowa this year, and there's been a spike of 70 percent in citations for 25 miles-an-hour or more over the limit.
The State Patrol and local police say reduced traffic during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to the rise in excessive speeding.
Colonel Nathan Fulk with the Iowa State Patrol spoke at a five state press conference at a Missouri Department of Transportation facility in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. "This data is alarming and unprecedented — and shows why we need motorists to understand that this driving behavior is not the new normal,” said Fulk.
The five states are coordinating to boost speeding enforcement Friday and Saturday (July 17-18). It's part of a national effort from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
(Image courtesy of Iowa State Patrol)