Category: Safety

BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department is excited to announce the 2nd annual ‘Name a Snowplow’ contest! The program invites Idaho students to submit creative names for ITD snowplows and learn about winter driving safety at the same time.

Beginning October 1, 6-12 grade classrooms across Idaho can work with their teachers to submit name ideas. Entries will be accepted throughout October, and the winning names will be announced by the end of the year.

“Our snowplow drivers are thrilled to see students getting involved in this fun, educational opportunity that also highlights the importance of winter driving safety,” said Scott Stokes, Director of ITD.

Two snowplows in each of ITD’s six regions will receive student-chosen names through voting by ITD employees. Winning names will appear directly on the plows, and each winning classroom will get a visit from “their” snowplow and driver for a winter safety presentation. Local news media will also be invited to attend these plow-naming events.

The contest is designed to help teachers introduce winter driving safety messages to students, some of whom may soon be in driver’s education classes. Adding distinctive names to plows also encourages all motorists to notice and be patient around these essential winter vehicles.

A big thank-you to the Department of Education for supporting this fun and educational opportunity.
See full contest rules.

Teachers 6-12 interested in having their class participate, contact: itdcommunication@itd.idaho.gov

View last year’s winners.

BOISE – During the 100 Deadliest Days, 88 people were killed in crashes on Idaho roads, according to preliminary data from the Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS).

During this time, more people are on vacation, celebrating, or traveling, and risky driving behaviors tend to rise. Of the 60 people killed in motor vehicle crashes, 23 were not wearing seat belts. Nearly one-quarter of those killed this summer were motorcyclists.

“Every death is a tragedy,” said Jo Middleton, Highway Safety Manager. “We can save lives by always wearing a seat belt, driving engaged, driving sober, and slowing down so everyone can make it home safely.”

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and OHS are working hard to change this trend. In addition to gathering and sharing critical data, they are:

• Increasing public awareness with statewide campaigns to educate drivers about high-risk behaviors during the 100 Deadliest Days.
• Expanding enforcement efforts in partnership with local law enforcement to reduce impaired and aggressive driving and to boost seat belt use.
• Engaging communities with outreach programs and safety resources that help drivers make smarter choices.
• Enhancing and modernizing infrastructure to improve safety on Idaho’s roadways and reduce crash severity.

These efforts show ITD and OHS’s deep commitment to protecting Idahoans and saving lives, not just tracking statistics.

Top 10 Contributing Circumstances during the 100 Deadliest Days:

No seat belt use
Failure to maintain lane
Speeding
Alcohol impairment
Inattention
Driving left of center
Overcorrection
No helmet
Asleep, drowsy, or fatigued
Improper overtaking

Fatalities by ITD District and County (Preliminary):

District 1
Bonner – 1
Kootenai – 4

District 2
Benewah – 3
Idaho – 3
Nez Perce – 3

District 3
Adams – 1
Ada – 9
Boise – 3
Canyon – 8
Elmore – 5
Owyhee – 1
Payette – 1
Valley – 1

District 4
Cassia – 6
Gooding – 3
Jerome – 7
Lincoln – 1
Minidoka – 2
Twin Falls – 6

District 5
Bannock – 3
Bingham – 2
Oneida – 1
Power – 3

District 6
Bonneville – 4
Custer – 1
Fremont – 3
Madison – 3

*The 100 Deadliest Days are the days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. All data is preliminary and subject to change.

BOISE – The Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is joining law enforcement agencies across the state for the 2025 “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, running August 15 through September 1. The effort focuses on preventing impaired driving ahead of Labor Day, one of the deadliest times on Idaho roads.

The numbers are sobering. In 2024, impaired driving claimed 86 lives in Idaho. That’s 36% of all traffic fatalities in Idaho which is the equivalent of losing over three Idahoans every week to a preventable cause.

Nationwide, alcohol-impaired driving accounts for about 30% of all crash fatalities. In 2023 alone, 12,429 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes. That’s one person every 42 minutes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“These aren’t just statistics,” said Josephine Middleton, ITD Highway Safety Manager. “Every number is a person; someone’s family member, friend, or coworker. This campaign is about more than the legal consequences of driving impaired. It’s about saving lives. If you’re impaired, don’t drive. It’s that simple.”

While these numbers are a stark reminder of what’s at stake, OHS also wants to highlight the everyday heroes who help prevent tragedy. The designated drivers, the friends who call a rideshare, and the people who plan ahead before their first drink. Every sober ride home is a life protected, a crash prevented, and a family kept whole.

ITD urges all Idahoans to join the movement to end impaired driving by following these simple steps:

• Use a sober driver, rideshare, or taxi.

• Never let friends drive impaired.

• Have a plan before the first drink.

Enforcement will be visible, and the message remains clear: Drive sober or get pulled over. But the ultimate goal is not to write tickets. It’s to make sure everyone makes it home safely.

For more information, visit shift-idaho.org.

BOISE — The Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is reminding drivers to slow down as law enforcement agencies across the state ramp up speed patrols this month.

This effort, taking place July 20–26, is part of a broader regional campaign in partnership with neighboring states Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Alaska. With coordinated patrols across state lines during this time, drivers should expect to see an increased law enforcement presence wherever their summer travels take them throughout the Northwest.

“Speed limits are not suggestions—they’re there to save lives,” said Josephine Middleton, ITD Highway Safety Manager. “Slowing down gives you more time to react and reduces the severity of crashes.”

So far this year, 126 people have died on Idaho roads, up from 113 at this time last year. During the “100 Deadliest Days” between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Idaho has seen 49 fatalities in 2025, compared to 40 during the same period in 2024.

Drivers are reminded to follow posted speed limits, allow extra travel time, and adjust speed for weather and traffic conditions.

Drive Well, Idaho: Every Trip. Every Time.

BOISE – As Idahoans enjoy summer barbecues, concerts, and road trips, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) encourages everyone to celebrate the real heroes of the season: designated drivers.

SHIFT Idaho’s latest campaign reminds us that safety begins before the first drink is poured. Whether it’s a friend who volunteers to be the designated driver or someone who books a ride-share, planning ahead is key to preventing tragedy on Idaho roads. And when someone steps up to be the sober driver, celebrate them. They just might be the reason everyone makes it home.

“Not every hero wears a cape – some just hold the keys,” said ITD Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton. “We are so grateful for all those unsung heroes who help people get home, whether it’s the designated driver, the bartender who helps order a rideshare, or the friend who answers that late night call to pick someone up from the party, these simple acts save lives.”

In the case someone doesn’t plan ahead, police across the state are doing their part as well. From July 1st to 13th, officers are conducting extra patrols looking for impaired drivers. While this year’s efforts are still under way, last summer’s enforcement effort over the July 4^th holiday resulted in 30 DUI arrests, 486 speeding citations, and 94 uninsured driver citations.

“Thanks to the designated drivers and officers out there keeping our roads safe…so everyone can make it home this summer,” Middleton said.

The Office of Highway Safety is urging Idahoans to be proactive: plan a sober ride, look out for each other, and make good choices behind the wheel.

For more information, visit https://shift-idaho.org/

BOISE — The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is reporting an 18% decrease in fatalities from impaired driving crashes—down from 105 in 2023 to 86 in 2024. While this progress is encouraging, impaired driving still accounted for more than a third (36%) of all traffic crash fatalities in Idaho last year.

Of the 86 people killed in impaired driving crashes in 2024, 80 (an overwhelming 93%) were either the impaired driver, a passenger riding with an impaired driver, or an impaired pedestrian.

“Drivers aged 30 and under are involved in impaired driving crashes at a disproportionately high rate,” said Josephine Middleton, Highway Safety Manager with ITD’s Office of Highway Safety. “It’s encouraging to see fewer fatalities, but the numbers show the problem is far from solved. We need people to understand that impaired driving doesn’t just put their own life at risk. It endangers everyone on the road.”

To help prevent further tragedies, ITD and its law enforcement partners will participate in a statewide impaired driving mobilization from July 1 to July 13, 2025. During this time, drivers can expect to see an increased presence of high-visibility patrols dedicated to stopping impaired drivers and saving lives.

ITD continues to focus on education and prevention through law enforcement partnerships, community outreach, and youth engagement initiatives. The department emphasizes the importance of planning ahead, using designated drivers, and making responsible choices every time you get behind the wheel.

Impaired driving is preventable. If you feel different, you drive different.

For more information on impaired driving prevention efforts in Idaho, visit shift-idaho.org.