8/30/2007
ITD reminds drivers that drunk driving tragedy can be prevented
BOISE - The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) reminds Labor Day holiday weekend drivers that much of the tragedy from drunk driving can be prevented with a few simple precautions, starting with planning ahead.
If you plan to consume alcohol, designate a sober driver before going out and give that person your vehicle keys. If you're impaired, call a taxi, sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
Promptly report drunk drivers seen on roadways to law enforcement. Help others who may be about to drive impaired make arrangements to get home safely. Always wear a seat belt.
Law enforcement agencies in Idaho and across the nation will be working throughout the holiday weekend to catch and arrest impaired drivers, according to Kevin Bechen with ITD's Office of Highway Operations and Safety.
"Impaired driving is no accident, nor is it a victimless crime," Bechen said. "No matter what you drive - a passenger car, pickup, sport utility vehicle, motorcycle or even a boat - if you're caught driving impaired, you will be arrested."
By increasing patrols, officers expect to arrest more impaired drivers and make the holiday weekend safer for all motorists. Overtime costs for the additional patrols are covered by a grant from ITD.
In 2006, 110 people were killed in impaired driving crashes in Idaho - up from 100 the previous year. While impaired driving crashes represented just eight percent of the state's total motor vehicle crashes in 2006, they resulted in 41 percent of Idaho's traffic fatalities.