Iowa State Patrol Increasing Enforcement for New Year’s Holiday

You're not imagining things if you see a larger law enforcement presence on Iowa's roadways this New Year's holiday.

A program designed to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes on interstates and highways nationwide is being extended holiday in the Hawkeye State.

The Iowa State Patrol has announced plans to continue utilizing the Crash Awareness Reduction Effort (CARE) into 2025. The program was created by the International Association of Chiefs of Police to increase officer presence during specific high crash periods.

A spokesperson for the Iowa State Patrol says the increased number of officers on duty this week will be targeting speeding, distracted driving, seat belt usage and impaired driving.

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Last December, Iowa had 34 traffic fatalities with more than half involving an intoxicated driver. The state ranked in the top 16 states according to stats that were provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with more than 50% of fatal crashes on New Year’s night involving alcohol.