Aggressive driving campaign set
While speeding is one of the most common traffic infractions, the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office is using “Stop Speeding Before It Stops You” to remind residents it can still be deadly. (Photo CAMERON RASMUSSON)
SANDPOINT — Speeders might be finding their joyride cut short come April 7, when the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office begins an initiative to crack down on aggressive driving.
Scheduled from April 7 to 18, the “Stop Speeding Before It Stops You” campaign is designed to remind motorists that careless driving can end in tragedy.
“The goal here is to save lives,” Bonner County Lt. Bill McAuliffe said. “Speed and aggressive driving are major causes of accidents and people need to know that.”
That’s why the sheriff’s office practices the annual event. Coordinating with the Idaho Transportation Department and local police offices, the departments ratchet up their patrols on all Idaho roads to catch speeders.
The initiative isn’t defined by simply hitting over-hasty drivers with fines, either. McAuliffe said that they use technologies like speed trailers — roadside displays that flash a driver’s speed — to make motorists slow down on their own accord. In addition, law enforcement uses approaches like billboards, radio and television safety messages to conduct a high-visibility information campaign.
“It’s not all about writing tickets,” he said. “It’s about getting people to slow down and be better, safer drivers.”
According to state officials, that’s an initiative that could save lives. IDT statistics report that in more than one-third of fatal car accidents, speeding played a contributing factor.
Fortunately, McAuliffe said that their efforts seem to be paying off.
“I can tell you from meetings I’ve had with IDT that, on a state level, the campaign has had an effect,” he said. “And in my nine years at the sheriff’s office, fatal car accidents have steadily decreased.”
The campaign poses benefits for the sheriff’s office, too. After signing a contract with IDT agreeing to participate in a set number of projects a year, the sheriff’s office received additional federal grant money in proportion to the overtime hours it spends working on the campaign. The office will then use that additional money to buy enhanced traffic enforcement equipment like radar and in-car cameras. The office pays for these items, and IDT reimburses them using federal dollars.
However, the heart of the campaign still centers on the fact that one bad decision at the wheel can impact many individuals for the worse.
“Even one life lost to speeding is too many,” McAuliffe said.