Traffic fatalities continue to exceed a five-year trend across the state, and the Iowa State Patrol is hoping those on roadways will take notice. Trooper Darren Flaherty says the vast majority of fatal crashes in the state have been caused by a few key factors — speed, distraction, or intoxication, and nearly half of those killed were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. As of Monday, 330 people have died in 2023 on the road — up 12 percent from the five-year average. Flaherty says with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, he reminds everyone planning to hit the roadways to do so safely. State, county, and local police agencies are participating in the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau sTEP enforcement waves this month and during Christmas and New Years.