IDAHO, USA — Drivers should expect to see more officers on the roads this month as police across the state crack down on aggressive driving.
According to preliminary data from the Idaho Transportation Department, there were 14,002 aggressive driving crashes in Idaho in 2022. Last year 39% of all fatal crashes involved some form of aggressive driving data.
From now through March 11, more state and local police patrols will be on the roads to help educate drivers - and curb aggressive driving.
The partnership is an initiative of ITD's Office of Highway Safety.
"Office of Highway Safety is a branch within the Idaho Transportation Department that focuses on both crash data, and then also grants to improve safety across the state on our highways," Ellen Mattila, public information officer for ITD said. "Those grants focus on behavioral changes and education that we can encourage to make sure that everyone's doing the right thing on the road driving well."
Examples of aggressive driving include:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Driving too fast for conditions
- Failing to yield
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Changing lanes without signaling
- Blocking cars that are attempting to change lanes
- Cutting in front of another driver and then slowing down
- Passing a vehicle on the wrong side of the road or on the shoulder
The Office of Highway safety says that more people engage in aggressive driving than they realize. Aggressive driving doesn't just mean road rage.
"Road rage is sort of, at the most extreme end of the spectrum, the criminal end of the spectrum," Mattila said. "But aggressive driving can pop up in different and subtler ways that you may not think about. Like speeding - maybe everyone's done a little speeding - that's technically aggressive driving. So, we want people to be aware of what counts as aggressive driving, and how dangerous that can be for them and for others on the road."
ITD says to avoid aggressive driving it's important to be engaged when behind the wheel, and aware of your surroundings.
One good driving practice that's encourage is zipper merging, where drivers use both lanes of travel until they merge - and then alternate into the open lane.
"Taking your turn and also being cognizant of what's happening in the other lane," Mattila said. "So keeping traffic moving and being courteous to other drivers, while also making sure that when it's your turn to go - you go. So that everyone can get where they're going and keep traffic moving."
Another point of confusion for some Idaho drivers are roundabouts. Cars approaching roundabouts are required to yield to traffic already inside the roundabout.
This month's aggressive driving campaign is just one instance of seasonal mobilizations that Office of Highway Safety and law enforcement does. Throughout the year, they focus on several different initiatives including seatbelt enforcement and impaired driving.
ITD's Office of Highway Safety has an online aggressive driving quiz.
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