According to law enforcement, the driver claimed she was “too tired to notice her speed.”

“Driving 130 mph in a 60-mph zone — double the speed limit — bad things are going to happen,” said Iowa State Patrol Trooper Paul Gardner. “Reaction time at that speed is significantly decreased. If something or someone passes in front of you, you don’t have time to react. Not to mention passing an ambulance in a code three definitely puts EMS and the patient in danger.”

According to Gardner, the fine for traveling 130 mph is $474 along with additional court fees, as well as having driver’s license privileges suspended for a period of more than a year. In this instance, the driver was not arrested.

“Driving while fatigued is dangerous,” said Gardner. “But driving at this speed while fatigued is an extremely dangerous combination.”

According to Gardner, the number of citations issued for drivers traveling in excess of 100 mph has more than doubled since 2020.

In 2019, 659 citations were made statewide for driving 100 mph or above. In 2020, that number doubled to 1,497 citations. Last year, 1,154 drivers were cited, with the top speed recorded at 164 mph. Already this year, a driver was clocked at 177 mph in Iowa.

“Speed is definitely becoming a problem that we’re trying to eliminate,” said Gardner. “One-third of traffic fatalities are speed related.”