BOISE, Idaho — The Ada County Highway District, in a combined effort with COMPASS Idaho and the cities of Boise, Eagle, Garden City, and Meridian reminding commuters to obey traffic signals.
August 6-12 has been designated as National Stop on Red Week, reminding drivers that they must pay attention to the rules, or face fines and ticketing. A ticket for reckless driving can range from $90-$400 in Ada County. Boise and Meridian police will have patrols focusing on drivers that disregard red lights.
“Obeying traffic signals is not a suggestion, it’s the law, and all drivers are responsible for following it,” said Boise Police Sgt. Matt Konvalinka. “Aggressive driving is dangerous driving for you and every road user, drivers should approach intersections with care and consideration so we can all make it home safe.”
Failure to obey a traffic control device is the fifth most common traffic violation in Idaho. In 2021 alone, 7,231 citations were issued to drivers according to the Idaho Transportation Department's Office of Highway Safety.
Boise Mayor Lauren McLean also made comments on social media, pointing to the recent incidents involving a skateboarder killed by a truck in the North End, and the school bus single-vehicle accident on HW-55 injuring multiple children, and asks the community to do better.
In a community that loves to walk, skate & bike it’s time for a serious commitment to bike & pedestrian safety. I’m committed to working with ACHD, ITD and our bike/ped community to identify and implement real solutions to make our roads, crosswalks & sidewalks safe for everyone.
— Mayor Lauren McLean (@boisemayor) August 6, 2023
Throughout the week, the local agencies will also publish educational information on their social media channels.
The agencies invite the public to join in on the campaign by wearing red on Wednesday, August 9, and sharing reminders on their own social media networks.
