As the holiday season approaches with joyous celebrations, the unfortunate reality across Idaho is that these festivities are often abruptly cut short by the devastating effects of impaired driving.
From December 13 through New Year’s Day, more than 50 Idaho law enforcement agencies will participate in a statewide effort to remove impaired drivers from our roadways. Officers will be actively patrolling to secure the holidays and prevent impaired drivers from ruining the holidays for their own safety and that of others.
Colonel Kedrick Wills, Director of the Idaho State Police (ISP), emphasized the collective commitment to public safety.
“Embodying an unwavering commitment to public safety, law enforcement agencies throughout the region stand united in the shared responsibility of preventing impaired driving and saving lives,” he said. “Our joint enforcement efforts serve as a powerful deterrent and leave no doubt that impaired driving is unacceptable. Make the right choice for the well-being of others – never drink and drive.”
To coincide with the launch of the statewide impaired driving enforcement campaign, a one-day Regional Impaired Driving Summit was held at the Boise Centre on Wednesday, December 13. The summit featured distinguished speakers from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and law enforcement experts from agencies across the state and nation.
“The data shows a troubling 14.2% increase in alcohol-related crash fatalities nationwide from 2020 to 2021, underscoring the critical importance of responsible driving behaviour,” said Greg Fredericksen, NHTSA’s Region 10 administrator.
He continued, “NHTSA is working with Idaho’s state agencies and local partners to launch an important initiative with powerful public service messages such as ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ to emphasize the urgent need to address the alarming increase in impaired driving crashes.
According to the Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS), there were 1,818 impaired driving crashes and 110 fatalities in Idaho last year.
“Drunk driving is not an accident or a mistake. It is a choice and a crime,” said Dennis Maughan, MADD regional executive director. “It not only puts the driver’s life at risk, but also the lives of innocent pedestrians, passengers and other drivers who share the road with them.”
OHS and law enforcement officials urge everyone celebrating this holiday season to plan a sober ride home and never drive impaired. Making a plan before drinking makes it easier to stick to it once you are intoxicated.