New Online Accident Report

As of November 1, 2022, all vehicle accidents involving University of Iowa vehicles may be reported online. UI Risk Management implemented the online Vehicle Accident Report to improve both the convenience and efficiency of vehicle accident reporting and claims. The online Vehicle Accident Report is in UI Self-Service under “General Systems and Tools” for Employees. For Students, the online report is in the MyUI website on the “Student Information” page under the “MY UIOWA” section. The online tool will take you step-by-step through how to report your accident and upload related documents and photos. There will be a paper Vehicle Accident Information Form accessible in the glove box to help guide individuals on what to collect at the scene of an accident. As a reminder, University drivers must report all vehicle accidents involving injuries immediately to Risk Management and all other incidents within 48 hours/2 working days. More details are available on the Risk Management website.

1st Avenue & I-80 Interchange – Diverging Diamond

We know that diamonds are a girl’s best friend but are they also a driver’s? You may have noticed that there has been some activity and work being done around the I-80 exit 242 and 1st Avenue interchange. The DOT has begun a major project to construct a diverging diamond interchange or DDI. A DDI design is quite different from your typical cloverleaf style interchange and eliminates the left turn phase at signaled intersections. This type of interchange is designed to reduce overall traffic delays while also providing a significant safety improvement. Check out a video of how the DDI design works.

Major construction work will begin late March/early April 2023, with the demolition and reconstruction of the easterly (northbound) 1st Avenue bridge over I-80. 1st Avenue traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with northbound traffic shifted onto the westerly (southbound) 1st Avenue bridge. The road and bridge work is expected to be substantially complete by spring/summer 2025. Read more about the project.

Did You Drop Your Vehicle For Service? Please Let Us Know.

If you have a service appointment scheduled at the shop, please let us know directly that the vehicle has been dropped off and is ready to be serviced. Just simply give us a call at the shop or office, send us an email, or stop into one of the offices to let us know.

The “Key” for Very Long Trips

If you are taking a University vehicle on a long trip, please consider asking us for an additional set of keys. We will provide an emergency, back-up set at no charge just in case. Dealerships and locksmiths require a significant amount of documentation in order to make you a new set.

4 Wheel Drive is Not Always the Answer

Four-wheel drive is great if you are driving on back country roads in snowy or muddy conditions. However, it provides very little benefit when driving on paved roads like interstates, highways, and city streets. Our sedans and minivans are all front-wheel drive and are very safe for winter driving. If you don’t feel safe driving a vehicle with front-wheel drive, then you probably should wait to begin your trip until the driving conditions improve.

Multiple DLRS Assignments

Some individuals should have multiple driving assignments in the Driver License Review System. In instances where an individual drives for more than one department, each department should submit their own driving assignment. Also, students driving outside of their job responsibilities require a new assignment with the correct student demographic chosen for the student org or department they will be driving for.

Fleet Factoid

The results are in, Iowa has the best roads in the nation! The rankings looked at the total miles of public roads, the percentage of qualifying miles driven, and each state’s fatalities on the road and then assigned a numerical score out of 10. Iowa was an 8.3/10 just narrowly beating out Minnesota. Conversely, West Virginia had the worst roads only scoring a pathetic 0.06/10.  Read more about the best and worst roads.