August 22, 2021

PRESS RELEASE

RE:     Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office increases impaired driving patrols in Idaho through Labor Day

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    The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is partnering with the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) to keep roads free of impaired drivers through the Labor Day weekend.  Sheriff’s Deputies join more than 60 agencies across Idaho increasing patrols and looking for impaired drivers. 

     The high visibility enforcement campaign coincides with the close of the summer driving season known as the 100 Deadliest Days on Idaho roads, between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, when Idaho typically sees an increase in fatality and injury crashes.  According to Idaho crash data, impaired driving was the cause of 1,513 crashes in Idaho last year killing 92 people and injuring hundreds more.  Many of these crashes happened in the Bonneville County and East Idaho area. 

     By working with the Office of Highway Safety on these mobilizations, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office can put more Deputies on during high traffic times to look for impaired drivers.  Our hope is to intervene before tragedy strikes. 

     While you plan for your end of summer activities, take a moment and plan to be responsible.  Doing so greatly reduces the risk to yourself and others on our roadways.  If you’ve been drinking or using any amount of substances that could impair your ability to drive, make the smart choice and stay out of the driver’s seat.  If you are the friend of someone who has been using alcohol or drugs, make the smart choice to help them find a safe ride home and avoid the possibility of being part of the 43% of fatalities that involve impaired drivers. 

     Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies encourage our community to be good witnesses by reporting suspected impaired drivers by calling your local Law Enforcement Dispatch.  In Bonneville County you can call 208-529-1200 or the Idaho State Police at *477 (*ISP), and in cases of emergency 911.