Idaho is one of the best places to live in the country. However, two factors are destroying the outstanding quality of life that folks have found in the Gem State. Our housing prices are out of control, and because we have too many people coming in, our roads cannot handle the extreme traffic conditions. Poor roads often lead to traffic congestion and road rage. We’re getting a lot more road rage these days. We’ll offer another solution to the housing crisis in another article. Let’s take a look at how dangerous; aggressive driving is in our state.
I usually drive to work between 4 am and 5 am. I decided to live on the wild side by driving in from Star via Meridian on Highway 84. The speed limit on 84 is 65. I admit I was going closer to 70 miles per hour. I was passed by my fellow commuters that we’re driving above 80 miles per hour. I can only imagine what it’s like during drive time hours.
It’s not just the highway. This morning I saw a silver pickup truck aggressively tailgate a maroon Buick. I don’t know what the driver has against Buicks. The Buick driver was going the speed limit from one light to the other. The silver pickup was two feet behind the Buick. Is it worth it so early in the morning? What could motivate someone to drive so irresponsibly?
A note of caution if you’re new to living in Idaho. Our area is notorious for drivers running red lights instead of respecting them. It’s always a good note of caution to look before you drive through a green light, even if you have the light. I saw another person speeding through a red light at 430 this morning.
It’s time for the Legislature to pass two responsible funding bills that would address these problems. Idaho needs its version of the Marshal Plan for our roads and bridges. We’ve built too many suburban neighborhoods without the streets to support them.
The Legislature should spend more money to hire more state troopers and police officers. More law enforcement on the roads means greater enforcement of our traffic/safety laws. Recently, the state and local police launched a limited campaign to take down aggressive driving. Idahoans deserve that type of attention to safety year-round.
