Iowa surpasses 300 traffic deaths in 2023

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Ahead of the holiday travel season, Iowa drivers have met a grim milestone as the Department of Transportation said 301 people have died in traffic-related incidents in 2023.

Every year the Iowa State Patrol sets a goal of having fewer than 300 traffic-related deaths. The state has not met that goal in six years.

According to the Department of Transportation, up to 60 percent of these incidents happen in rural areas and are typically one-car accidents.

Officials are blaming speeding along with distracted and impaired driving as leading causes for these fatalities.

Jason Marlow, a trooper with the Iowa State Patrol, said seatbelt usage is key for the survivability of these incidents. He said according to government surveys, even though 90 percent of Iowa drivers wear their seatbelt, nearly half of these deaths were unbuckled.