Kootenai officials report decrease in injury collisions amid aggressive driving crackdown

The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a decrease in injury-causing traffic collisions, following a statewide effort to crack down on aggressive driving. 

The sheriff's office, Idaho State Police and other agencies have been working “to target and mitigate dangerous driving behaviors on Idaho’s roads” as aggressive driving has become an increasingly pressing safety issue, according to a press release from earlier this month. In 2023, aggressive driving incidents accounted for 27% of all traffic fatalities in the state — and 2024’s statistics are projected to be even higher.

“Increased [numbers of] people on roadways creates impatience and leads to aggressive driving,” KCSO Lt. Jeff Howard said. “This is especially the case during tourism season and is even worse with all the summer construction.” 

Aggressive driving includes risky behaviors that go beyond speeding — tailgating, reckless lane changes and running stop signs or red lights are all dangerous habits that can result in tragedy.  

Howard added that there isn’t a specific demographic that is to blame for increased instances of aggressive driving, and that both in-state and out-of-state drivers are contributing to the issue. In general, aggressive driving is more common during summer months because more people are on the road.  

When asked whether increased enforcement has made a noticeable impact on driving behaviors, Howard said, “We believe it has. Grant-funded, targeted enforcement has led to a decrease in injury crashes.”