Law enforcement tackles aggressive driving

Boundary County Sheriffs Office is teaming up with the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) to keep Idaho roads safe this summer. Beginning Friday, July 23, the Sheriff’s Office will join close to 60 law enforcement agencies statewide, putting extra officers on the roads looking for aggressive drivers.

The effort comes in the middle of the 100 Deadliest Days on Idaho roads when there is an increase in fatal crashes between Memorial Day and Labor Day. According to OHS preliminary data, 40 people have died in crashes in Idaho since Memorial Day weekend this year.

Aggressive driving is a contributing factor in half of all crashes in Idaho. It happens when a driver chooses to speed, follow another car too closely, run a red light or ignore a stop sign, weave in and out of traffic, or not use turn signals. As a result, from July 23 through August 8, officers will dedicate patrols to enforcing Idaho’s speed limits.

“Our goal is to save lives,” said Sheriff Kramer, “Please stay alert behind the wheel and watch for the posted speed limit signs, they exist for a reason. The roadways can be a dangerous place and speed limits are designed to protect everyone — drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.”

Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to slow down when necessary or to steer safely around an unexpected curve, another vehicle, or hazard in the road. It also increases the danger for pedestrians and people who ride bicycles.

“Any time you speed, you are putting yourself and other people at risk,” Undersheriff Stephens added, “Slow down and have patience every time you drive, so we can save lives together.”