With the help of federal money supplied through the Idaho Transportation Department, the Sun Valley Police Department and the Bellevue Marshal's Office are participating in a campaign to crack down on aggressive driving.
The catchphrase for the ITD's campaign is, "Drivers, Chill or Pay the Bill: We're getting aggressive with Aggressive Drivers."
"More than 36,000 people in Idaho are involved in crashes caused by aggressive driving each year," said Margaret Goertz, aggressive driving coordinator with ITD's Office of Highway Operations and Safety. "That's more people than live in Caldwell or Twin Falls."
Goertz said that of Idaho's 267 traffic-related deaths in 2006, 43 percent were attributed to aggressive driving.
The campaign is running from June 10 to 23 and will run again from July 1 to 28.
Each year the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, part of the federal Department of Transportation, allocates money to each state to fight aggressive driving. This year the Idaho Transportation Department received $167,000.
The target is drivers who speed, drive too fast for road conditions, tailgate, fail to yield right-of-way, pass stop signs and disregard signals, Goertz said.
In Blaine County, the Sun Valley Police Department and Bellevue Marshal's Office will receive funding. The money can go to keeping more officers on the road, which includes an increased overtime budget, and for additional equipment. Goetz said Sun Valley can receive up to $2,180 and Bellevue up to $2,560.
In 2006, 332 motor-vehicle accidents were reported in Blaine County, 139 of which, or 41 percent, were attributed to aggressive driving. Two of the seven fatalities from motor-vehicle accidents in the county were the result of aggressive driving, Goertz said.
Age plays a factor in aggressive-driving related accidents.
Of the 139 accidents in Blaine County in which aggressive driving was a factor, nearly 60 percent involved a driver between 15 and 19 years old.
"Aggressive drivers should be aware that in addition to fines, aggressive driving violations may result in higher insurance premiums and the loss of a license for younger drivers," Goertz said.
