Highway Safety Programs

Description of Programs

The Office of Highway Safety administers the  Federal Highway Safety Grant Programs, which currently are funded by formula through the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) and the Highway Safety Act of 1966.  The goal of the program is to reduce deaths and serious injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes by implementing programs designed to address driver behaviors.  The purpose of the program is to provide grant funding at the state and community level for a highway safety program that addresses Idaho’s own unique circumstances and particular highway safety needs.

The Office of Highway Safety offers law enforcement agencies throughout the state the opportunity to participate in Traffic Enforcement Mobilizations (saturation patrols), which support enforcement efforts by agencies to reduce deaths, serious injuries and economic loss as part of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP).  Dedicated overtime enforcement hours and /or traffic enforcement equipment for regular duty dedicated mobilization enforcement are funded for hours worked during the mobilizations.   Participation in the mobilization is initiated by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the agency and the Idaho Transportation Department Office of Highway Safety.  To participate, please refer to the documents at the bottom of this page.

Highway Safety Performance Plans and Annual Reports

In order to receive the Federal highway safety grant funding, each State must submit a Performance Plan, which includes a description of the processes used by the State to identify its highway safety problems, define its highway safety goals and performance measures, and develop projects and activities to address its problems and achieve its goals.  In addition, each State must submit a Highway Safety Plan, approved by the Governor's Representative for Highway Safety, describing the projects and activities the State plans to implement to reach the goals identified in the Performance Plan. In Idaho we combine the two plans into a single document for submission. 

FFY 2013 Highway Safety Performance Plan

FFY 2012 Highway Safety Performance Plan

FFY 2011 Highway Safety Performance Plan

Each State is also required to submit an Annual Report within 90 days of the end of the Federal Fiscal Year which evaluates the State's progress in meeting its highway safety goals, using performance measures identified in the Performance Plan and describes how the projects and activities funded during the fiscal year contributed to meeting the State's highway safety goals.

FFY 2012 Annual Report

FFY 2011 Annual Report

FFY 2010 Annual Report

 Traffic Safety Problem Identification

A “traffic safety problem” is an identifiable subgroup of drivers, pedestrians, vehicles, or roadways that is statistically higher in collision experience than normal expectations.  Problem identification involves the study of relationships between collisions and the population, licensed drivers, registered vehicles, and vehicle miles traveled, as well as characteristics of specific subgroups that may contribute to collisions.

For the Federal Fiscal Year 2010-2012 plan, the process used to identify traffic safety problems began initially by evaluating Idaho’s experience in each of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA’s) eight highway safety priority areas.  These were program areas determined by NHTSA to be most effective in reducing motor vehicle collisions, injuries and deaths.  Consideration for other potential traffic safety problem areas came from analyzing Idaho collision data, suggestions from Idaho Traffic Safety Commission (ITSC) members, suggestions by Office of Highway Safety staff, and by researching issues identified by other states.  All traffic safety problems must be validated with supporting data and there must be an effective countermeasure to address the problem that is eligible for Federal highway safety funds.

The traffic safety problem areas that have been identified and are currently being addressed are:  Aggressive Driving, Occupant Protection, Impaired Driving, Distracted Driving, Youthful Drivers, Pedestrian Safety, Bicycle Safety, Motorcycle Safety, Traffic Records, and Emergency Medical Services. 

Grant Opportunities and Process Description

Only state and local governmental units are eligible to receive highway safety grants.  The highway safety grant process operates on the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY), which runs from October 1 to September 31.  Request for proposals for the upcoming FFY go out on the first Monday in January.  The request for proposal gives an overview of applying for a grant, who is eligible to receive funds and a description of the focus areas.  The letter of intent is the grant application.  It must be received or post-marked by midnight, January 31st.  Letters of intent may be e-mailed, faxed, or mailed to the Office of Highway Safety.  Letters of intent that are not received or post-marked by the specified deadline are automatically ineligible.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the the documents below.  If you do not have the reader, click below to download a free version. 

Application Period Ended Thursday, January 31, 2013 for Federal Fiscal Year 2014

An Microsoft Word version of the Letter of Intent is available for downloading, filling out and emailing back to OHS.  You can also print off the PDF version, fill it out by hand and either fax or mail it in.  The Letter of Intent must be mailed or received (if faxed or emailed) before midnight on January 31, 2013.  These applications are for year long grants for FFY 2014 and are different and completely separate from the Traffic Enforcement Mobilizations.

Letter of Intent can be e-mailed to ohsgrants@itd.idaho.gov, faxed to (208) 334-4430, or mailed to Idaho Transportation Department, Office of Highway Safety, PO Box 7129, Boise ID 83707.  

Request for Proposal Intro Letter (PDF)       

Highway Safety Grant Applications

Request for Proposal (RFP)  FFY 2014 (PDF) - Instructions and  project examples of grants. 

Letter of Intent FFY 2014 (Word) - grant application form - open, save to your computer, fill out, and email to OHS. If you would like, you can print it out and mail or fax it to us as well.

Traffic Enforcement Mobilization Documents

FFY 2013 MOU

FFY 2013 Certification & Assurances

FFY 2013 Funding Request Instructions 

FFY 2013 Funding Request

FFY 2013 Anticipated Equipment Purchase

FFY 2013 Single Audit Certification

  Please send comments, questions, and suggestions to ohsweb@itd.idaho.gov