07/17/08

BOISE, Idaho (AP) _ Police will be out in force for 10 days as
part of a statewide campaign to rein in aggressive motorists.

The beefed up patrols begin tomorrow and stretch through July
27.

Authorities say they hope to cut down on speeding, tailgating,
illegal passing and motorists who run stop signs or lights.
Overtime pay has been authorized to put more patrols on streets and
highways.

Pat Beale, of the Idaho Department of Transportation, says
aggressive driving is a serious problem in the state and blamed for
more than half of all traffic accidents.

Police and transportation officials say aggressive driving
patterns played a factor in 14,364 crashes in Idaho last year. The
top culprit? Speeding, which Beale says is a factor in 1 of 10
crashes.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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