Starting off the month of July is another traffic-related initiative, which the Iowa State Patrol is participating in.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s 4th of July holiday campaign is “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and Iowa State Patrol District 4 Resource Officer Trooper Shelby McCreedy says they will not only look for alcohol-related impairment, but other areas as well including speed and seat belt usage. She reminds everyone that even if you think you’re okay to drive if you consume not a lot of alcohol, it’s better not to risk it.

“If you feel differently, you are going to drive differently. The first thing that you lose when you’re under the influence of alcohol or drugs for that matter is your fine motor skills. We all know that fine motor skills are critical when you’re behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

McCreedy says the 4th of July holiday weekend is among the deadliest holidays in Iowa. Over the past five years, there have been 25 fatalities during the 4th of July holiday weekend, and 13 were alcohol-related. She adds last year, 57 percent of traffic fatalities during the holiday were alcohol-related. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is from July 1st-5th.