ISP issued 233 seat belt citations during last 2 weeks of May followed by tragic Memorial Day weekend

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - Idaho State Police Troopers wrote 233 citations to motorists for not wearing seat belts during the last two weeks in May.

ISP was one of 59 law enforcement agencies statewide to participate in the recent "Click It or Ticket" education and enforcement campaign.*

Through the Memorial Day weekend, troopers responded to seven fatal crashes that tragically left 12 people dead.

"Our ISP Troopers and dispatchers connect with those involved, their families, and those who witness these very serious crashes. They're incredible professionals, yet like all Idahoans, we too felt the extreme tragedy faced by too many families this past weekend," ISP Colonel Kedrick Wills said. "We at ISP hope that families and communities will talk about and reinforce the importance of safe driving habits. Keeping families whole and motorists safe on our roadways is important to all of us, and the only way we can make that happen is to work together."

SAFE DRIVING HABITS

Idaho State Police want to remind motorists of these essential safe driving habits, and encourage friends and families to talk about safe driving habits with their loved ones:

• Buckle up: More than half of Idaho motorists killed in crashes are not buckled in.**
• Drive engaged: Keep your eyes on the road and your mind on driving. Cell phones, stereos, other technology, even pets can be a deadly distraction.
• Drive Sober: Alcohol and drugs both cause impaired driving. Buzzed driving is drunk driving.
• Keep a safe distance between your car and the vehicle in front of you. This is often a constant effort for a driver, yet following too closely reduces reaction time and increases risk of being involved in a collision.
• Avoid excessive speed and other aggressive driving behaviors. Speeding or driving too fast for conditions, ignoring traffic signals, tailgating and weaving in and out of traffic are common causes for crashes.

For more on having a conversation with a loved one about safe and engaged driving, go to shift-idaho.org.