If you build it, they will come. And country star Tim McGraw makes history Saturday night as he hosts the first concert at Iowa’s Field of Dreams. It’s a good bet his stellar playlist could include the ballad of driving away from love too fast in the haze of a breaking heart – his homerun hit with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.
“The highway won't dry your tears…the highway don't need you here…the highway don't care if you are coming home.” But we do.
That’s because speeding has consistently been involved in approximately one-third of all motor vehicle fatalities over the past two decades. Speed impacts your safety and contributes to driving reckless in work zones, distracted by phones, during bad weather, and under the influence.
If you drive to Dyersville - or anywhere else this holiday weekend - remember speeding is more than just breaking the law. It’s a behavior that creates:
- Greater vehicle control loss
- Reduced occupant protection equipment effectiveness
- Increased stopping distance
- Higher crash severity risk
- Costs associated with speed-related crashes
- Increased fuel consumption/costs
As we close, it’s a new era for us, too. After today, Roadside Chat message boards will focus on the state’s fatality data. And we’ll transition this conversation to a podcast for deeper drives into traffic safety topics.
But don’t think we care any less if you come home alive. Our team cares deeply about Iowans’ safety on the roads, and we’ll let you know soon where you can tune in.
In 2025, in Iowa, 182 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of three since last Friday. In Iowa in 2024, there were 356 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, visit the daily fatality report.