The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau (GTSB) and the law enforcement officers across our state wish everyone a safe Thanksgiving holiday. To ensure safety, please take the time to buckle up, slow down and drive defensively in your travels around the state.

Those who choose to not buckle up or drive aggressively have a higher chance of being stopped by law enforcement. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, along with local, county, and state law enforcement officers , are once again teaming up through the Special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) during the Thanksgiving holiday to save lives and reduce crashes. Beginning November 24 , 2014 , and running through November 30, 2014, there will be an increased presence of law enforcement officers on Iowa roadways.

Seventy-seven percent of all occupants ejected from a vehicle during a crash are killed. In 2013, Iowa had 317 traffic fatalities with more than 43% of them or 107 not restrained by a seat belt. Randy Hunefeld, sTEP Coordinator with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, wants you to know that, “Buckling up takes less than three seconds and reduces your chance of becoming a fatality statistic by nearly 50%.” Is it worth it? Hunefeld says, “You can bet your life on it.”

For additional information , go to www.iowagtsb.org or www .nhtsa .dot.gov.