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Each year the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau administers a number of federally funded highway safety initiatives to help raise awareness and enforce traffic laws in the state. Our local law enforcement agencies have partnered with the GTSB to obtain grants and help keep Marion County motorists safe.

The Knoxville Police Department will participate in an upcoming special Traffic Enforcement Program next week around the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. During this time there will be extra officers on duty working solely to enforce traffic law such as speeding, seat belt enforcement and drunk driving. sTEP waves fall around popular holidays where large numbers of Iowans are likely to be on the roadways or drinking

The Marion County Sheriff’s Office participates in a section 410 alcohol incentive grant which helps pay for overtime work of deputies who strive to decrease drunk driving on area roadways. These hours can be used at any time during the calendar year.

Knoxville Police Lieutenant Darrell Brown says the GTSB studies accidents and has noticed that seatbelts not only protect each person but it can protect one passenger from injuring another occupant in the vehicle. He says in addition to front seat passengers going through the windshield there have also been accidents where passengers in the backseat jolt forward and injure front seat passengers.

Marion County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Bigaouette says the GTSB has also asked agencies to spend a little extra time watching larger vehicles once the sun goes down. He says their studies show a large number of drivers and passengers in SUVs and large trucks tend to not wear their seat belts and those numbers increase during night time hours.

Motorists are reminded that traffic fines have increased in the past year so not only will disobeying the laws cost you more financially it could cost you your life.

For more with Lt. Brown and Deputy Bigaouette tune in to today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville at 12:40pm or online by clicking Radio Plus on the right side of this page.