Waukee Police On Lookout for Drunk Drivers and Other Safety Violations This Week

The Waukee Police Department is one of about 250 law enforcement agencies from around the state that will be on the roads March 15 through March 18 for this year’s second special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) wave, according to a news release.

Officers will be looking not only for drunk drivers and safety belt violators, but for all traffic violations, according to a news release from the Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau. 

With a record 59 traffic fatalities that occurred this January and February, officers will be stepping up their enforcement activity in hopes of slowing down that trend throughout the rest of the year, the release said. Of the 59 fatalities in the last two months, 30 percent or 17 were people who did not have seatbelts fastened and eight were identified as unknown.

Iowa sTEP Coordinator Randy Hunefeld said all law enforcement agencies in the state, whether big or small, need to be proactive with their traffic safety efforts and constantly continue to educate and enforce traffic laws to change driver behavior. 

In 2011, Iowa recorded 363 traffic fatalities. This is a 66-year record low, yet it represents nearly one life lost each day. While this decreased number is far better than the 412 fatalities Iowa averaged during the previous five years, it is still an enormous tragedy, especially if one of those fatality victims was near and dear to you. 

According to Hunefeld, during last year’s March sTEP enforcement wave there were 242 participating agencies (167 city police departments, 72 counties sheriffs’ offices and three state agencies) that reported activity resulting in 18,284 traffic citations and warnings being issued. 

The next sTEP enforcement wave will be May 21 through June 3 during the National Click It or Ticket campaign.