Idaho Youth Drive Drunk More Often Idaho Second To Nebraska With 144 Of 100,000 Teens Arrested For Duis
Idaho youths are arrested for drunken driving more often than juveniles in nearly every other state, according to a recent study.
The U.S. Department of Justice study found that 144 of every 100,000 Idaho youths were arrested in 1995 because they had been driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Only Nebraska youths ages 10 to 17 were arrested for DUI more often. Washingtonians in that group ranked among the bottom third of the 39 states that reported enough information to be included in the study.
One-third of the 14,900 youths arrested nationwide were 17 years old. Three percent were younger than 15.
North Idaho officers hoping to curb that trend have teamed to increase weekend patrols that target drunken drivers of all ages. Those drunken and drugged driving “emphasis patrols” have nabbed 57 impaired drivers in Kootenai County so far this month.
The patrols are part of National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.
Officers from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department, the Coeur d’Alene, Spirit Lake and Post Falls police departments and the Idaho State Police also have asked motorists to turn on their headlights today to remember victims of alcohol- and drug-related accidents.
Motorists are encouraged to wear their seat belts and report suspected drunken drivers to police.
“There’s a lot more people drinking and driving during the holiday season,” ISP Sgt. Jay Komosinski said. “That ultimately results in more tragedies.”
Police plan to heavily patrol Seltice Way from Coeur d’Alene to the Washington border this weekend hoping to prevent alcohol-related accidents.
Officers in Post Falls, where three people have been killed in alcohol-related accidents during the past four months, have assigned an officer to watch for drunken drivers full-time.
An alcohol-related accident sent four people to the hospital Sunday afternoon, Komosinski said.
Two of the people, including the 26-year-old driver, were critically injured and had to be cut out of the pickup they had been riding in.
Eleven people have been arrested for DUI by Post Falls officers so far this month, including eight last weekend. Only three people were arrested for being impaired motorists during the same period last year.
“We’re taking people to jail if they’ve been drinking and driving,” Sgt. Scot Haug said.
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MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: LIGHTS ON Police have asked drivers to turn on their headlights today to remember victims of alcohol- and drug-related accidents. Suspected impaired drivers should be reported to police by dialing 911 or *477 on cellular telephones.