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ITD, law enforcement partners rally against 100
Deadliest Days |
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May 23, 2015 |
Last year, 40 percent of Idaho’s fatal
motor-vehicle crashes occurred during the 100
days between Memorial Day and Labor Day,
according to Idaho Transportation Department
(ITD) statistics.
The time period between the two holidays,
referred to as the “100 Deadliest Days,” is when
road conditions are at their best, but more
lives are lost on Idaho roads than other times
of the year due to vehicle crashes.
That’s why ITD’s Office of Highway Safety, the
Idaho State Police and local law enforcement
agencies are working together to reverse this
trend by increasing awareness of these “100
Deadliest Days” through education efforts and
enforcement of driving laws, such as inattentive
driving, impaired driving, speeding and use of
safety restraints on Idaho’s roads this summer.
"Idaho’s law enforcement asks drivers to slow
down, pay attention, never drive impaired and to
make sure everyone in the vehicle is buckled-up
at all times," said Idaho State Police Captain
Sheldon Kelley. "The vast majority of crashes
are preventable, if we all drive responsibly.
Our goal is to get to zero deaths and to not
have to tell another family that they have lost
a loved one.”
The enforcement efforts will be accompanied by a
three-month, statewide public information
campaign funded by the Office of Highway Safety
to remind Idahoans that summer does not have to
be the deadliest time for driving.
There are four main factors that lead to serious
injury and fatal crashes explained, Josephine
Middleton, with ITD.
"The majority of our crashes happen when people
choose to drive distracted, impaired, or use
excessive speed,” said Middleton. “When we
combine any of these behaviors with not
buckling-up, we are at an even greater risk of
fatal and serious injury when we crash."
Kelley added that the public may report
distracted or impaired drivers to ISP from their
mobile phones by dialing *ISP (*477). He also
reminded drivers to be safe and let a passenger
make that call.
In the past five years (2010-2014), 328 people
were killed on Idaho roads during the “100
Deadliest Days” time period.
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