Mitchell County to be Included in “High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project”

North Iowa’s Mitchell County is being included in the “High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project” to study traffic safety on Iowa’s secondary roads.

Iowa Department of Public Safety data shows that approximately 79% of Iowa’s total roadways are considered secondary in nature and, in 2021, 72% of fatal crashes in Iowa occurred on secondary rural roads. Due to these alarming statistics, rural safety has become a major concern.

After reviewing 5 years of crash data and looking at counties with low seat belt compliance rates, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau along with a multi-disciplinary team of traffic safety professionals selected five rural counties to participate in the “High Five” project. DPS will launch the new initiative starting December 1st in Mitchell as well as Appanoose, Fremont, Humboldt, and Keokuk counties.

The High Five project will involve a three-tier approach to include enforcement, engineering, and education with the ultimate goal to build a safer community. From an engineering aspect, officials hope to identify low cost safety improvements throughout the counties involved.

The “High Five Rural Traffic Safety Project” will conclude on September 30, 2023.