Benjamin Franklin famously said, "In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” There’s no putting on the brakes as we head toward the state and federal tax return deadline. What you do have the power to change is making risky decisions on the road. Like failing to pay taxes, if you drive recklessly long enough, you’re certain to pay stiff penalties whether it’s fines, damages, injuries, or even death.
Every time you get behind the wheel, you can choose to drive responsibly, or you can drive aggressively and put lives at risk. One of the leading ways we put others in danger is speeding, which results in less control of our vehicles, significantly less reaction time, loss in the protection our vehicle’s safety equipment provides, and increased crash severity.
The Iowa State Patrol cited more than 1,000 drivers in 2024 for speeds exceeding 100 mph. According to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, in Iowa, 52% of fatal and serious injury traffic crashes are speed related. And over the past five years, an average of 17 people died or were seriously injured each week due to excessive speeding.
Look at the real damage. There’s the emotional scars that are intensified with lifelong injuries, trauma, and the unbearable grief of losing a loved one or being responsible for the death of someone you don’t even know.
In 2025, in Iowa, 56 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of six since last Friday. In Iowa in 2024, there were 356 traffic-related deaths. View the daily fatality report.