Iowa Department of Public Safety
Eugene T. Meyer, Commissioner
215 East 7th Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Telephone Number: (515) 725-6182
Facsimile Number: (515) 725-6195

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Larry D. Sauer, Director

For immediate release: Courtney Greene, Bureau Chief
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Public Information Bureau
Des Moines, Iowa (515) 725-6196

TEEN SAFETY WEEK AND SCHOOL ZONE EVENT

Des Moines, IOWA --- National Teen Safety Week runs from October 16 through October 23, 2009. In Iowa, a special School Zone Enforcement Event will be conducted on Friday, October 23, 2009, with concentrated enforcement before and after school and before and after any sporting events.

An emphasis on seatbelts, speed and impaired driving will be maintained in an attempt to lower the serious injury and fatality crashes that happen on Iowa roads. The Iowa Department of Public Safety, Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau is asking all law enforcement agencies in the state to participate in this one day saturation event.

In 2008, 48 young people between the ages of 15 and 20 were killed in Iowa fatal crashes. Young Iowans were drivers of vehicles involving 65 of the State's total traffic fatalities that year. While drivers ages 15-20 make up only 9% of Iowa licensed drivers, in 2008, they constituted:

  • 11% of Iowa drivers in fatal crashes
  • nearly 12% of Iowa's fatality victims
  • over 15% of Iowa drivers in serious injury crashes and
  • more than 16% of Iowans seriously injured in crashes

Iowa law enforcement is encouraged to concentrate their efforts in school zones before and after school and before and after sporting activities in an attempt to reduce the number of teen fatalities and injuries in Iowa. The activity will also bring awareness to parents of Iowa youth and the general public of the risks involved in young people driving to and from school.

Please contact your county sheriff's office or police department to learn more about the enforcement effort in your area as well as local crash statistics. For more statistics involving Iowa's youth, go to this link: http://www.dp.state.ia.us/commis/gtsb/fact-8youngdriver.pdf

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