Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety released their 2018 Roadmap Report of Traffic Safety Laws on Monday, ranking all 50 states by 16 laws the group advocates for.
The group ranks Iowa in the bottom 13 states for traffic safety laws, saying it only has six of the 16 laws recommended.
Advocates defined their “16 lifesaving laws” by analyzing crash data from state to state. Occupant protection, child passenger safety, teen driving, impaired driving, and distracted driving are covered in this report.
In 2017, Iowa passed a no texting and driving law, but it still doesn’t meet Advocates requirements.
According to the report, Iowa and Florida are among the few states without primary seatbelt enforcement laws. Jackie Gillan is the President of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, and says research shows higher seatbelt usage with primary enforcement.
“States that have primary seatbelt enforcement for both the rear and the front seat have much higher usage rates, and so that’s why it’s so important that every state have this law,” Gillan said.
Advancements in technology and legislation will stop the climbing number of traffic deaths each year, according to Janette Fennell, President and Founder of Kids and Cars.org.
Fennell urges lawmakers to use the Roadmap Report data:
“I urge every elected official to pick up this year’s report, and take action to enact proven state traffic safety laws that advance the use of effective safety technologies,” Fennell said.
Last year, Iowa did see a decline in traffic deaths: 332, according to the Iowa Department of Transportation. In 2016, the state had 402 traffic fatalities.
The 2018 Roadmap Report is available online at: www.saferoads.org.