IDAHO NATIONAL
Idaho
Transportation |
If you drink and drive in Idaho you will be arrested. That is the message state law enforcement officials, ITD and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration want drivers to know as part of a crackdown on impaired drivers before and during the Labor Day weekend. Last year, more than 9,000 people were arrested in Idaho on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. Impaired drivers caused 1,900 collisions in the state, resulting in 100 fatalities. The economic impact of those fatalities is estimated at more than $300 million. In Idaho, driving with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is illegal -- .02 for drivers younger than 21. Violators face jail time, substantial fines, loss of driving privileges and higher insurance rates in addition to the risk of causing a fatal or serious injury crash. ITD estimates that out-of-pocket costs for attorney fees, fines and court costs for a first-time DUI offense exceed $5,000. The National Highway Traffic Safety Institute offers several tips to help keep drivers safe:
For more information about impaired driving visit www.itd.idaho.gov Published 9-1-06 |