Sheriff’s office, State Patrol team up for exhibit on dangers of excessive speed
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By now, most drivers young, old and in between have probably heard about the dangers of driving too fast or driving distracted, but oftentimes, it takes a real-life reminder of the potential consequences to take the warnings seriously.
On Saturday morning, Marshall County Sheriff Joel Phillips, Chief Deputy Ben Veren and Deputy Tanner Hunt teamed up with Rod Larson of the Iowa State Patrol to present a display telling the story of three teenagers from Dubuque -- William Wodrich IV, Kennedy Elskamp and Chloe Lucas -- who died last summer when the vehicle they were traveling in, which had reached speeds around 150 miles per hour and made impact at over 100 miles per hour, crashed into a ditch. The exhibit, which included the remnants of the car the teens were in when they crashed -- an officer who responded to the scene said he couldn't even decipher what type of vehicle it was because it was so mangled -- and a QR code link to a YouTube video about their accident, was set up just outside of the courthouse as thousands were in the downtown area for the annual Oktemberfest parade.
"I think it presents the actual reality of a situation. Everybody thinks it's OK to drive fast, and it is OK until something bad happens. When these crashes happen, this is a good example of how violent a crash can be at high speed," Veren said. "When that happens, there's people whose lives are changed forever, so it's important for the public to understand that these things can happen and do happen."
Larson, who covers six counties including Marshall as a state trooper, added that while Saturday's display was more focused on excessive speed, distracted driving can be just as dangerous in the age of smartphones.
"We've gotta focus on the roads completely, and we've gotta make sure that we're watching the speed limits that are out there," he said. "The safety equipment we have inside these vehicles are designed to keep us safe at interstate speeds, not double or more (of those speeds)."
According to Veren, the display was "an eye-opener" for parents and teenagers who attended, especially younger drivers who think they're invincible when they first get their learner's permit and then their licenses.
Ultimately, the MCSO and the Iowa State Patrol will continue to collaborate on ways to make county and state roadways safer.
"The reality is that every person who's killed in a car crash is somebody's mom, dad, brother (or) sister, somebody important to somebody (and) not just a number on a piece of paper," Veren said. "When they're affected, it affects all the people around them, friends and family, so it's important to understand that these things have lifelong effects."
A YouTube video about the teens from the Iowa Governor's Traffic Safety Bureau called "The Devastation of Speed" can be viewed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKNjD0WEBb4.
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Contact Robert Maharry at 641-753-6611 ext. 255 or rmaharry@timesrepublican.com.