The Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is teaming up with law enforcement agencies across Iowa for a statewide seatbelt enforcement and awareness push tied to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign.
Running May 18 through May 31, 2026, the effort will focus on encouraging drivers and passengers to consistently buckle up, supported by high-visibility patrols and enforcement activity coordinated with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Officials say the message remains urgent. In 2025, 121 people killed in Iowa traffic crashes were not wearing seatbelts—accounting for nearly half of all traffic deaths in the state that year. Safety leaders note that these deaths were largely preventable with proper restraint use.
“Regardless of the vehicle, seating position, or roadway, buckling up is still the most effective way to reduce the risk of serious injury in a crash,” said Iowa GTSB Bureau Chief Brett Tjepkes. He added that success would mean more drivers making seatbelt use a consistent habit.
The campaign is part of ongoing statewide traffic safety efforts supported through federally funded grants, bringing together state, county, and local partners to reduce fatalities and serious injuries on Iowa roads. The Iowa Department of Transportation uses crash data to guide these prevention strategies.
Source: Iowa DOT Crash Analysis Tool
