Aggressive driving anticipated to increase as summer approaches

Aggressive driving tends to increase as the weather gets warmer.

Idaho State Police troopers anticipate more accidents with summer activities and the roads become more congested.

In 2002, Jennifer Delage, of Pocatello, said she was involved in an aggressive driving accident. It happened in San Jose, California.

“This guy got behind me and he started tailgating me, so I slowed down, hoping he would move,” Delage said. “He passed me and on the way he was passing on the driver’s side, I flipped him off. He got right in front of me and he slammed on his brakes and I had to brake way too fast and my car started fish tailing and I lost control of the car and it spun across 4 lanes of the highway.”

Delage said someone then hit her on the driver’s side and that’s how her car stopped.

Around Eeastern Idaho, Delage said she sees this same type of aggressive driving. She says the posted speed limit of 80 miles per hour isn’t helping either.

“I don’t even like that because my car, when it gets up there, it starts shaking a little bit, you know? And it’s too fast,” Delage said. “Especially with people texting and talking on their phones and not paying attention.

Kris Barnes is the master corporal for the Idaho State Police in district six. He said the speed limit itself is not the problem.

“It’s people that believe that they can travel 5 to 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit,” Barnes said. “People don’t seem to be giving other people more room. They aren’t sharing the highway like they used to. Everybody’s in a hurry and feels like they’re the most important person on the road way.”

Barnes anticipates more wrecks when summer brings all the fun attractions with it.

Delage said to this day, she no longer makes hand gestures while driving. She said she tries to have proper communication with other drivers.