(Radio Iowa) – D-O-T director Scott Marler told the Transportation Commission today (Tuesday) that traffic deaths are down so far this year. “Just yesterday we were we were about 11 below our five-year average,” Marler says. There were 132 traffic deaths through today (Tuesday). Marler says there were several deaths during the recent holiday.

“Tragically, we saw over the 4th holiday, we saw five fatalities in total over the holiday weekend,” Marler says. The new hands-free phone law went into effect on July 1st and Marler says that should help bring down traffic deaths. “We believe that this law will have a direct effect,” he says.

There have been more than 300 traffic deaths in the state in each of the last five years, with 2023 seeing the most in that period at 379. There 356 traffic deaths last year.