7/19/2007
No impaired driving fatalities reported for July 4 holiday
BOISE - Stepped up law enforcement patrols appear to have helped keep motorists safer during the July 4 holiday, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.
"No impaired driving fatalities were reported on Idaho highways July 3-5," said Kevin Bechen with ITD's Office of Highway Operations and Safety.
Statewide, 34 agencies participated in the overtime enforcement effort funded through a federal grant administered by ITD. The money helped pay for overtime law enforcement patrols targeting impaired drivers.
Participating officers stopped nearly 1,600 vehicles over the mid-summer holiday period and made 51 arrests for driving under the influence. In addition, they apprehended 10 fugitives, recovered two stolen vehicles and made five felony and 18 drug arrests.
They also issued more than 600 citations, including:
- 75 safety belt citations
- 12 child safety seat citations
- 56 suspended license citations
- 129 uninsured motorist citations
- 318 speeding citations
- Seven reckless driving citations
- 16 under-age alcohol citations