Being late is bad, but not as bad as wrecking your car — or anyone else's — on the road.
That's the message the Iowa State Patrol wants to convey after a motorist was pulled over Thursday afternoon doing 96 mph on iced-over, snowy Highway 20.
Trooper Jon Stickney, the public resource office for ISP district 10, tweeted about the incident, which happened about a mile west of Delaware. He said he had to make a quick decision about whether it was worth the trouble to try and chase down the driver. Because of light traffic and the danger the motorist could pose to others, he flipped his roof lights on.
An Iowa State Patrol trooper pulled over a driver doing nearly 100 mph on an icy Iowa road. (Photo: ISP trooper Jon Stickney/Special to the Register)
"96 mph in a 65 speed zone, 100 percent snow and ice. I must have had nerves of steel to go after him, luckily the driver exited," his post read.
He said the young man driving the car promptly got off Highway 20 at Highway 38. Stickney said the driver realized the seriousness of those speeds. Iowa drivers can have their privileges revoked for going 25 mph or more over the speed limit.
"I said, 'If you lose control and wreck, it's gonna be pretty bad for you,'" Stickney said, "and he understood that."
He said road conditions in that stretch of Highway 20 looked a lot better than they were. The slush and snow residue from plows had become slick and freezing rain coated the pavement with a hard-to-see layer of ice.
Iowa State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said the driver was running late to work.
"I think when that happens, people have one thing on their minds and that's getting to work on time, so all caution goes out the window for motorists, they get tunnel vision," he said.
The driver was given a $235.50 fine and lot to think about after the incident. Ludwig encouraged drivers to keep their money and their safety in mind.
"Next time, just pull over and make that phone call," Ludwig said. "Let your boss know that you'll be 10 minutes late, because being late to work is a lot better than getting into an accident and injuring an innocent party or yourself."
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...speeding-96-mph-icy-roads-100-mph/2807578002/
That's the message the Iowa State Patrol wants to convey after a motorist was pulled over Thursday afternoon doing 96 mph on iced-over, snowy Highway 20.
Trooper Jon Stickney, the public resource office for ISP district 10, tweeted about the incident, which happened about a mile west of Delaware. He said he had to make a quick decision about whether it was worth the trouble to try and chase down the driver. Because of light traffic and the danger the motorist could pose to others, he flipped his roof lights on.
An Iowa State Patrol trooper pulled over a driver doing nearly 100 mph on an icy Iowa road. (Photo: ISP trooper Jon Stickney/Special to the Register)
"96 mph in a 65 speed zone, 100 percent snow and ice. I must have had nerves of steel to go after him, luckily the driver exited," his post read.
He said the young man driving the car promptly got off Highway 20 at Highway 38. Stickney said the driver realized the seriousness of those speeds. Iowa drivers can have their privileges revoked for going 25 mph or more over the speed limit.
"I said, 'If you lose control and wreck, it's gonna be pretty bad for you,'" Stickney said, "and he understood that."
He said road conditions in that stretch of Highway 20 looked a lot better than they were. The slush and snow residue from plows had become slick and freezing rain coated the pavement with a hard-to-see layer of ice.
Iowa State Patrol spokesman Sgt. Nathan Ludwig said the driver was running late to work.
"I think when that happens, people have one thing on their minds and that's getting to work on time, so all caution goes out the window for motorists, they get tunnel vision," he said.
The driver was given a $235.50 fine and lot to think about after the incident. Ludwig encouraged drivers to keep their money and their safety in mind.
"Next time, just pull over and make that phone call," Ludwig said. "Let your boss know that you'll be 10 minutes late, because being late to work is a lot better than getting into an accident and injuring an innocent party or yourself."
https://www.press-citizen.com/story...speeding-96-mph-icy-roads-100-mph/2807578002/
