Category: Safety

BOISE – As Idahoans prepare to celebrate Independence Day, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and partners across the state encourage everyone to include a sober ride home in their holiday plans.

ITD’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) has partnered with law enforcement agencies across Idaho to devote extra resources to stopping impaired drivers around the Fourth of July. More police will be on patrol from June 30 through July 9.

“When you are making your holiday plans, they should include a sober ride home whether that’s a cab, rideshare, designated driver, or celebrating in a place where you don’t need to drive,” said Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton. “Always have a plan before you start drinking. If you wait until after you may be too impaired to make the safe choice.”

Idaho is also in the middle of the 100 Deadliest Days, the time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when Idaho sees a spike in fatal and serious injury crashes. In the last 31 days, at least 19* people have been killed in crashes on Idaho roads. In the summertime, people are off from school or work, enjoying vacations, engaging in recreational activities, and celebrating. Unfortunately, these social factors result in an increase in distracted driving, aggressive driving, and impaired driving, which makes the roads riskier for everyone, including those who are driving safely and responsibly.

For the Fourth of July and the rest of the summer remember these safe driving tips:

• Always wear a seat belt. Seat belts increase your chance of surviving a crash by 50 percent.
• Put away the distractions and drive engaged.
• Never drink and drive. If you have a friend who is about to drive drunk, be courageous, take away their keys and help them get home safely.
• Drive the speed limit, or slower if conditions are bad.
• On two-lane roads, if there are more than three cars behind you, pull over in a safe place to let them pass.

*Preliminary Data

BOISE – Before hitting the road for weekend or holiday adventures, officials from the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) and Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) want Idahoans and Gem State visitors to make sure the safety chains attached to their trailers won’t drag and spark fires, and that tires are road worthy so they don’t blow out.

“Flat tires on vehicles and trailers pose wildfire risks when metal rims scrape along asphalt, throwing sparks into roadside fuels like dry grass”, said ITD director Scott Stokes. “Before heading out, check your tire pressure and look for damage or wear that could lead to tire failure.”

Idaho has seen catastrophic wildfires from a flat tire in the past, something state officials hope to avoid in the future. In 1992 a negligent motorist drove for miles with a flat tire on the car he was towing behind his motorhome. It started a 6,258 acre fire along Highway 55 near Banks, ID, with the driver receiving a $1.3 million bill for the cost of fighting the blaze.

Dragging trailer chains are also dangerous, they can start multiple fires along stretches of roads and highways.

A vehicle dragging a chain threw sparks into the dry grasses along I-84 near Jerome in 2019 burning more than 350 acres and impeding traffic on the freeway.

“We all want to do the right thing, and double-checking your safety chains takes less than a minute,” said Stokes.

When connecting trailer safety chains, crisscross the chains so they won’t drag on the road. Crisscrossing provides the added benefit that if the ball hitch does come loose, the trailer is cradled in the chains keeping it behind your vehicle, away from oncoming traffic.

Preventing a human cause wildfire also means being aware of your surroundings when you stop along a roadway or park to recreate.

“Parking on dry grass can also start wildfires and should always be avoided,” added IDL director Dustin Miller. “Your vehicle’s exhaust system is hot enough to spark a fire.”

In 2017 a farmer near Star, ID, lost five acres of wheat to a preventable fire caused by the hot exhaust pipe on a truck.

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, there were 61,429 human-caused wildfires across the nation in 2022.

“Wildfires caused by humans are 100% preventable if people would just change their behaviors and use caution and common sense,” Miller added.

It’s not just damage to the land people love, there can be severe financial consequences for negligently starting a wildfire in Idaho. Idaho law directs IDL to investigate wildfires on land it protects. Those deemed negligently responsible for starting fires face paying for suppression costs and economic damages.

According to Miller, the costs can run into the millions. “Because Idaho’s taxpayers pay for wildfire suppression, we aggressively seek to recover as much as possible from those found negligent.”

For more information about preventing wildfires and highway safety, visit www.idl.idaho.gov/prevention and www.itd.idaho.gov/safety.

BOISE— Safe driving goes beyond the steering wheel; it extends to your whole vehicle and trailer when you hit the road. That’s why the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is recognizing National Secure Your Load Day on June 6, 2023.  It is every driver’s responsibility to ensure all cargo is safely secured. Unsecured loads pose a safety risk on our roadways.

Objects or debris can fall from vehicles or trailers and collide with other vehicles or pedestrians, causing serious injuries or fatalities. Idaho code states, no vehicle shall be operated on any public highway unless such vehicle’s load is secured to prevent the load from becoming loose, detached or a hazard to other users of the highway.

“Many drivers think that only commercial vehicle drivers are responsible for securing their cargo,” said OHS Program Manager Josephine Middleton. “We want our community to know that it is every driver’s responsibility to ensure their load is properly secured. It’s the right thing to do and it could save the life of the person behind you.”

According to Idaho’s Crash Database, from 2018 to 2022, 82 people were injured as a result of an object that was not properly secured. During this same time period, 2 people lost their lives. Non-commercial passenger vehicles accounted for 61% of the crashes in which cargo was not properly secured.

Before transporting a load, check that your vehicle’s load is secured on the top, sides, and back, and make sure nothing can blow or fall out. Ensure your load is safe if you were to suddenly hit the brakes or a speed bump, or if you were hit by another vehicle. Ask yourself, “Would I feel safe driving behind my loaded vehicle?”

Follow these tips to ensure you properly secure your load:

• Tie it down with rope, netting, or straps.
• Tie large objects directly to your vehicle or trailer.
• Consider covering the entire load with a sturdy tarp or netting.
• Don’t overload your vehicle or trailer.
• Always double-check your load to make sure it’s secure.

WHAT:  Wrecked vehicle on display to raise awareness about the 100 deadliest days
WHO:  Boise Police Chief Ron Winegar, Boise Police Cpl. Kyle Wills, Caldwell Police officer Tom DeFur, ITD, AAA
WHEN: Friday, May 19th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE:  Boise Towne Square Mall, 350 N Milwaukee St, Boise, ID 83704, Media please use the main entrance

BOISE– Every year during the months of June, July, and August there is an increase in the number of car crashes that unfortunately result in death or injury. These months are known as the “100 deadliest days” and Boise Police, Caldwell Police, the Idaho Transportation Department, AAA and the Boise Towne Square Mall are teaming up to remind drivers to stay safe this summer.

On Friday, May 19th, these agencies will use a wrecked vehicle from an aggressive driving crash on display at the Boise Towne Square Mall as a reminder to slow down, limit distractions and focus on driving.

“With so many options available to distract us when we’re driving, we hope that this display of a wrecked vehicle will give drivers the motivation to put down the distractions and just drive the speed limit,“ said Boise Police Cpl. Kyle Wills.

According to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), there were 72 fatal crashes across Idaho last summer between Memorial Day and Labor Day. So far this year, 71* people have died on Idaho roads. Six* of those fatalities happened in the last week alone. The year-to-date total from the same time last year was 52 fatalities.

“That’s 71 tragedies for families, friends and communities across Idaho,” said Josephine Middleton, Highway Safety Program Manager with ITD. “As we head into the 100 Deadliest Days and the rest of the year let’s focus on protecting each other on the roads by stopping the behaviors that contribute to traffic crashes.”

ITD data shows that 15% of all fatal crashes are distracted-driving related. Distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving, including talking or texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo, entertainment or navigation system—anything that takes your attention away from the task of safe driving.

Speed is also a significant factor in many crashes. Speeding, which includes exceeding the posted speed limit or driving too fast for conditions is considered aggressive driving. According to ITD, 35% of all fatal crashes are aggressive-driver related. Other aggressive driving behaviors include following too closely, weaving, and failure to yield or stop at a sign or signal.

“Safe driving is also sober driving, and you can’t drive anywhere safely if you’re impaired. With 37% of all fatal crashes involving an impaired driver, we urge you to get a designated driver or use ride-sharing services if you plan to drink” said Wills.

It’s illegal everywhere in America to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, or any potentially impairing drug–prescribed or over the counter.

At Friday’s media event, Caldwell Police officer Tom Defur will share his own personal story to remind drivers about the importance of safe driving.

Media interested in attending the event can contact:
Ellen Mattila
ITD Public Information Officer
(208) 832-8776
ellen.mattila@itd.idaho.gov