IOWA - Iowa is staging a campaign to lower traffic deaths in the runup to Father's Day.
A state task force is holding a news conference Tuesday to focus on reversing a trend of what it calls alarming fatality totals.
Meanwhile, Police departments across the state, including Cedar Rapids, are cracking down on impaired driving this Wednesday thru Saturday.
The enforcement efforts are being timed to lead into Father’s Day week, which one study shows is the fifth deadliest holiday for traffic accidents.
Independence Day, Memorial Day and Labor Day are the three deadliest holidays on the road, according to autoinsurance.com.
Iowa currently has a goal of reducing traffic deaths to under 300 in 2021, which the state say's would be a level not seen since 1925.
At least one other law enforcement agency, the Woodbury Count Sheriff’s Office, is taking part in this week's impaired driving crackdown.
The Iowa Traffic Fatality Reduction Task Force news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Iowa State Capitol West Mall.