As the summer progresses, the corn fields around central Iowa are starting to get taller, creating a hazard that some motorists may not anticipate.

Dallas County Sheriff Chad Leonard says tall corn is very effective at blocking your view of oncoming traffic, particularly at intersections. He emphasizes that while this sort of danger is prevalent regardless of the road you’re travelling on, it’s magnified on gravel roads because motorists may take the infrequency of traffic for granted. “Just assume somebody is coming, instead of telling yourself that ‘I never meet a vehicle out here,’ so you just continue to drive normal speed. You need to tell yourself to slow down and put your phones down. You have to pay attention out there because as our county continues to grow, our accident count continues to grow. There’s nothing wrong with slowing down and going under the speed limit for a change, you know, if you’re not in a hurry to get anywhere.”

In addition to being careful around intersections, Leonard mentions that especially in Dallas County you need to be mindful of the trail crossings. He says tall corn and trees can easily conceal bicyclists, so he encourages motorists to be mindful when approaching those paths. To hear more from Leonard, listen to today and tomorrow’s Perry Fareway Let’s Talk Dallas County programs on air and at RaccoonValleyRadio.com.