Washington law enforcement will be conducting seat belt enforcement next week. According to a press release, the Washington Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office will be partnering together on Tuesday, May 13th from 2-6 p.m. for a seat belt traffic enforcement program as part of their Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau grant program.

This event will have law enforcement officers focusing efforts on seat belt and child safety seat compliance throughout the city of Washington during this time. According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety. In 2023, 45% of traffic fatalities in Iowa were unbuckled; that translates to 123 lives lost. 

Washington Police Lt. Ben Altenhofen, who will be overseeing the operation, says officers will be conducting the targeted enforcement at several different locations throughout Washington on Tuesday afternoon.