ISP takes part in emphasis patrol

COEUR d'ALENE - Motorists may notice an extra law enforcement presence when driving on Interstate 90 during a four-day enforcement campaign beginning Friday.

Idaho State Police and law enforcement officials in 14 other states are joining together with a goal of zero deaths on Interstates 90 and 94 between Washington state and New York Aug. 1-4. That's more than 5,600 miles of road.

ISP troopers and hundreds of other troopers, officers and deputies in every state along those two corridors will be teaming up and cracking down on the most dangerous driving offenses during the "I-90/94 Challenge."

The challenge will use education, awareness and strict enforcement to save lives and remind all motorists to drive safely and obey important traffic laws.

Law enforcement will ticket or arrest offenders caught speeding, driving drunk or impaired, driving distracted, not wearing their seat belts or any other behavior behind the wheel that puts lives at risk.

"While I-90 is just a 74-mile stretch across the Panhandle of Idaho, there have been more than 600 crashes along it in the past five years," said ISP Lt. Chris Schenck. "ISP wants to remind drivers about the importance of obeying traffic safety laws including the speed limit, wearing your seat belt, driving sober and avoiding any distractions from the road.

"Our goal every day is to save lives and we are pleased to join in this operation to bring awareness to the issue of driving safety and make these interstates safer for those who drive them, not just this weekend but every day."

From Aug. 1-4 during the past three years, I-90/94 averages 524 total crashes, 136 injury crashes, 56 crashes involving a big trucks or buses, 10 alcohol-related crashes and three fatal crashes.

The goal of the challenge is zero fatalities during the four-day period and to cut the crash count in half.

I-90/94 Challenge was initiated and is led by the Minnesota State Patrol to help the International Association of Chiefs of Police reach its goal this year of reducing U.S. traffic fatalities by 15 percent.