An annual goal by an Iowa law enforcement entity has been met for the first time in 100 years. 

Iowa State Patrol Sergeant Alex Dinkla says the yearly goal is to have less than 300 fatalities on the roadways. Iowa saw 260 traffic-related deaths last year, which Dinkla details is the fewest in a century. The state saw 261 traffic fatalities in 1925.

Dinkla adds that reaching that goal was a collective effort.

“The Iowa State Patrol, we cannot do this alone. We have to have everyone one of our other partners, and that is every motorist out here driving responsibly and thinking safety each and every time that they get behind the wheel.”

He credits the lower number of fatalities to a number of factors, including improvements to roadways. 

“The (Iowa Department of Transportation) DOT has widened the white strip and the yellow strip that would be in the middle of the road for motorists. And so with a lot of different road features and new safer vehicles, we’re hoping that this trend continues to lower the fatalities here in Iowa.”

Dinkla attributes a large reduction in last year’s traffic fatalities to the implementation of the Hands-Free bill on July 1 after it was passed by the Iowa Legislature and signed by Governor Kim Reynolds. The bill makes it illegal for anyone to use their cell phone or another electronic device while driving.

He details that while there was a slight decrease in fatalities from January to the end of June, the main reduction came from July through December following the new hands-free law.

While the law went into effect on July 1, law enforcement recently started giving citations to drivers using their phones while driving on January 1.