Law enforcement mobilizing to stop impaired drivers this Labor Day

8/23/2024

Ellen Mattila
ITD Communication
208-832-8776
[email protected]

Law enforcement mobilizing to stop impaired drivers this Labor Day

BOISE- Police and sheriffs' departments from across the state are joining the Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) in a Labor Day Impaired Driving Mobilization. Expect to see more officers on the road now through September 2 to stop impaired drivers before they hurt themselves or someone else.

Labor Day also marks the end of the 100 Deadliest Days on Idaho Roads. It's the time when Idaho sees a rise in impaired, distracted and aggressive driving that leads to more injuries and deaths on our roads.

At the start of the summer there were a lot of deadly crashes. The number of fatalities was trending above the previous year, however the rate of deadly crashes slowed after the Fourth of July. Currently 70* people have been killed on Idaho roads this summer, that's less than last summer at this time, when the total was 79. This year-to-date 145* people have been killed in traffic crashes, compared to 151 at this time in 2023. In 2023 there were 275 total traffic deaths, the deadliest year in over a decade.

"Every crash is a tragedy, and in the case of impaired driving crashes, they are always preventable," explained Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton, "We partner with police to stop drunk drivers from hurting people, but everyone can have a positive impact by getting a sober ride home instead of driving impaired."

*Preliminary data, subject to change

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