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Fourth of July free of impaired driving fatalities

Stepped up law enforcement patrols appear to have helped keep motorists safer during the July 4 holiday.

“No impaired driving fatalities were reported on Idaho highways July 3-5,” said Kevin Bechen with ITD’s Office of Highway Operations and Safety. The state had five impaired driving fatalities occur over the holiday from 2004-06.

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 DUI arrests. In addition, they apprehended 10 fugitives, recovered two stolen vehicles and made five felony and 18 drug arrests.

A number of citations also were issued:

- 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

Published 7-27-07