State statistics on traffic-related deaths suggest Iowa roads were safer last year than in 2016.
Iowa Department of Transportation figures show that 329 people died in traffic-related incidents in 2017, as of Dec. 29. The 2016 figure: 398.
The drop in traffic deaths follows a jump in 2016 from 315 fatalities in 2015.
Iowa State Patrol Sgt. Nathan Ludwig told The Des Moines Register that a new state law that cracked down on texting while driving may have helped avert deadly collisions in 2017.
Ludwig also said the lack of snowfall last year — except for heavy snow and winds Thursday and Friday — may have helped lower the fatality figure.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Uber Jury Awards $8.5 Million Damages in Sexual Assault Case 
Maine Plane Crash Victims Worked for Luxury Travel Startup Led by Texas Lawyer 
Insurify Starts App With ChatGPT to Allow Consumers to Shop for Insurance 
Trump Demands $1 Billion From Harvard as Prolonged Standoff Appears to Deepen 
