The Iowa State Patrol will be hitting the roads looking to improve safety over this Labor Day weekend. 

Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Alex Dinkla says that Labor Day weekend is a time where a large number of people travel across the state, and they would like to remind people to use safe driving habits. Dinkla says they continue to see the fatality rate rise on Iowa roadways, and since 2017 they have seen an average of seven fatalities over the Labor Day holiday weekend. 

“16 fatalities since 2017 have been alcohol related. And so we are going to be out in full force to make our roads safe and try to hopefully reduce the fatality rate here in Iowa.”

Dinkla says there are plenty of options for impaired drivers to get home safely such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. He encourages motorists that encounter an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement immediately.