A Special Traffic Enforcement Project (STEP) begins Wednesday and concludes on Saturday, across Iowa. Law enforcement agencies around the State will be keeping a close eye out for impaired drivers. Iowa State Patrol Trooper Ryan DeVault says the upcoming four-day STEP time frame was identified by the Fatality Reduction Task Force.

The Task Force was formed, he said to determine when spikes in traffic fatalities occurred by reviewing data from over the past 10-years, and try and curb the alarming trends authorities have been noticing. And, while the focus will primarily be on impaired drivers, they’ll also be looking for distracted drivers.

Since the beginning of 2021, there have been 118 traffic-related fatalities in Iowa, which is up 24 deaths from last year at this same time. The data show: Every 48 seconds someone dies in a crash involving an impaired driver; Impaired driving claims more than 10,000 lives each year; and, 34% of fatalities are linked to impaired drivers. Trooper Devault says in addition to the efforts by law enforcement to slow the spread of deaths in motor vehicle crashes, there’ something you can do to not become another statistic.

In addition to buckling your seat belt, choosing a designated driver if you are impaired can save not only your life, but those of everyone else on the road.

Impaired drivers are more than those who have had too much alcohol. It includes those who either intentionally or accidentally take too much of a prescription medication, and, illegal substances. A person who gets an OWI will see stiff fines, jail time, and the possible loss of their job.

And if your actions result in a death or deaths, you face much more severe penalties, in addition to being saddled with a crash survivors’ guilt.