Enduring the year of COVID-19 has proven to be the
fastest year on the highways in recent memory

Five neighboring statewide law enforcement agencies are sending a unified message urging drivers to slow down. The warning follows a year best described by highway patrol troopers in each state reporting excessive highway speeding across the central U.S. region.

The Arkansas State Police, Iowa State Patrol, Kansas Highway Patrol, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Nebraska State Patrol all report a substantial increase in speeding violations that began to occur coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We communicate regularly with our law enforcement partners in neighboring states, and the increase in excessive speeding has been a common theme in those conversations over the last year,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “NSP is proud to partner with these neighboring states in reminding motorists of the dangers of excessive speeding and the need for us to all work together to make our states safe.”

Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska comprise Region 7 of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Each state tracked the increase of excessive speeding in different ways, but every method told the same story: A year that felt incredibly long was also the fastest on the roads in recent memory.

“With every mile per hour over the speed limit, the reaction time a driver has to avoid a crash is reduced even faster, and with excess speed comes a greater risk of serious or fatal injuries,” said Colonel Bill Bryant, Director of the Arkansas State Police. “Driving 10 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit won’t get anyone to their destination that must faster, but it will increase the odds of a crash or a speeding ticket.”

A comparison of the increases in speeding violations documented by each state is provided below:

As the winter months give way to more favorable driving conditions and busiest travel seasons, each agency is asking all motorists to do their part to keep the roads safe. Obey the posted speed limits, eliminate distractions, never drive impaired, and always buckle up. Troopers in each state will continue to patrol day and night to enforce traffic safety laws and assist any motorist.