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ISP focusing on safety and wearing seatbelts during Thanksgiving holiday patrols

Courtesy ISP
The following is a news release from Idaho State Police.
IDAHO FALLS – Holiday gatherings may look different this year, but what hasn’t changed is the importance of sharing the holidays with loved ones. Idaho State Police are reminding drivers that buckling up and engaged driving is the best way to keep families whole and ensure more holiday celebrations.
Idaho State Police supports a special two-week mobilization involving the Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety and partnering law enforcement agencies nationwide. Focused seat belt education and enforcement patrols began November 16 and will run through November 29. These patrols will provide additional emphasis on the protection and safety seat belts provide during traffic stops.
“Our Troopers see first-hand the lives lost when people don’t buckle up, and that sudden loss of life is devastating to the family. The best way we can honor those families is to try and prevent these tragedies. That means getting folks to wear their seat belt and focus on their driving.” says Lt. Chris Weadick of ISP District 6 in eastern Idaho.
The Idaho Office of Highway Safety reports there have been at least 131 motor vehicle fatalities in Idaho, as of Nov 17. Eighty-eight of those killed were not wearing seat belts. In 2019, 44% of the fatal crashes in Idaho were single vehicles that ran off the road and 72% of those killed in these vehicles were not wearing seatbelts.
“The enforcement done in these patrols can often be an effective education for motorists to remember safe driving behaviors, including buckling up.” says Lt. Chris Schenck of ISP District 1 in northern Idaho.
“We’re urging folks who choose to travel this holiday to think of the friends and family and great food they have waiting for them, and to make the choices that will get them where they’re going safely. Most folks don’t want to risk a citation, but that enforcement can be useful as education to remind folks it’s all about getting them down the road and keeping them safe.” Schenck says.
Seat belt education and enforcement funding is provided by a grant from the Idaho Transportation Department through the National Highway Traffic Administration.
The post ISP focusing on safety and wearing seatbelts during Thanksgiving holiday patrols appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com

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