Allamakee County one of five counties in Iowa selected to participate in "High Five" rural traffic safety program

by Bob Beach

Allamakee County Sheriff Clark Mellick and the Iowa State Patrol recently announced that Allamakee County will be one of five counties in the state of Iowa participating in a pilot program to improve the safety of Iowa's secondary roads. The "High Five" rural traffic safety project is an initiative though the Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau to address the high number of traffic fatalities on Iowa's secondary roads.
In 2012, 72% of fatal crashes in Iowa occurred on secondary roads, according to Traffic Safety Bureau statistics. A report derived from the Iowa Department of Transportation crash database indicates that there were a total of 1,413 vehicle crashes in Allamakee County from 2004-2013, with 30 of those crashes resulting in fatalities.
Iowa State Patrol District Commander Lt. David Eick said that the counties selected to participate in the pilot program have the highest number of traffic fatalities, injuries and seatbelt noncompliance per capita in the state. In addition to Allamakee County, the counties of Palo Alto, Webster, Marion and Fremont have also been selected to participate in the program, all of those other counties being located in the western or southern half of the state.
Lt. Eick said that the State Patrol will be working closely with the Sheriff's Department, County Engineer and the Iowa Department of Transportation to reduce those statistics during the 18-month program through enforcement (seat belt law compliance, speeding and OWIs), education and improved roadway design.
Sheriff Mellick said that a recent survey of seat belt compliance in Allamakee County found only 47% compliance, whereas the state average is 94%. Lt. Eick noted that Iowa's seat belt law has been in effect since 1986. He added that seat belts have been reported as the contributing cause of traffic fatalities (i.e. fire or submerged vehicle) in less than one half of one percent of cases, whereas even minor accidents can result in fatalities if seat belts have not been used.
State Patrol Officer Jay Hansen noted that the total fine for failure to wear a seat belt in Iowa is $127.50 for adults. For those under the age of 18, the fine is $195.
The High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project will begin in Allamakee County April 1 and area residents can expect to see a higher State Patrol presence, increased traffic stops and educational initiatives. A series of seat belt surveys will be conducted throughout the county during the 18-month program.
"This will be a good thing for the county," said Sheriff Mellick. "There may be some who won't like it, but ultimately safety is driving this project."