MERIDIAN, Idaho — In a partnership with the Office of Highway Safety, Meridian and Boise Police Departments aim to increase patrols, focusing on aggressive and distracted driving until Labor Day.
Just last month Corporal Kyle Wills with the Boise Police Department told Idaho News 6 there has been an "uptick" in triple-digit speeders in the area and he's worried that trend will continue, Corporal Wills tells us, “every mile an hour over the speed limit is increasing the severity of a crash." and Corporal Goodspeed with the Meridian Police Department adds, people don’t often realize what they’re doing could lead to either them being a crash or causing someone else to get hurt in a crash."
Last year, Meridian Police officers responded to 2,130 crashes in the city. Distracted and aggressive driving contributed to 1,266 of those crashes.
The increase is funded by a grant and is an effort to encourage responsible driving, reduce crashes, fatalities, and assist in changing dangerous driving behaviors.
"Over the next two weeks, Meridian officers will be on the lookout for drivers who are speeding, tailgating, running red lights, and distracted driving," said Traffic Sergeant Frasier, "We encourage drivers to buckle up and focus on driving responsibly so that everyone can make it to their destinations safely."
The patrol increase is happening during the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, which takes place between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The period is most dangerous for drivers to be on the road due to an increase in traffic and an increase in driving-related fatalities because of aggressive and distracted driving.
"During the summer months, there are more people on our roads walking, riding, and driving," said Idaho Transportation Department Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson. "We owe it to them, and we owe it to ourselves to slow down, put away distractions, and drive engaged."
