First Tracks – Teens and Winter Driving | Idaho Transportation Department

First Tracks – Teens and Winter Driving

It’s a weekend tradition for many Idaho families – heading up to snowy mountains to ski or board together. Parents often put quite a bit of time, lessons and teaching moments into making sure their kids have fun and learn safety on the hill.

In the same way, learning to drive in winter weather can be a challenge, and teens have a few extra obstacles to overcome as brand new drivers. Just like ski lessons, teens need a little help to be prepared and safe on winter roads.

Emily Kormylo, Idaho’s Driver Education Coordinator, says winter is a popular time for parents to enroll their teen in drivers ed. Parents hope the winter conditions will help their teens learn driving skills in challenging situations that can help them year-round. And for a good reason — teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their lack of experience. They speed, they make mistakes, and they get distracted easily – especially if their friends are in the car. (as reported by NHTSA)

How can you – as a parent – help?

Practice

In addition to enrolling your teen in drivers ed, help your teen practice their winter driving skills. Go to a parking lot to practice on ice, in low-visibility and snowy conditions. Talk about road conditions they may encounter even in early spring – like icy corners on rural highways or obscured lane lines when snow piles up. Make sure your car is winter-ready and check road conditions at 511.idaho.gov before any road trip.

Leave early and slow down

For most teens, mornings are not their favorite time of day. But rushing around and running late can make driving on slick roads even more stressful.

Speed is a significant factor in winter crashes. One out of every five crashes in Idaho involves a youthful driver. Younger drivers, especially teens, also showed more risk of contributing factors in crashes like speeding, inattention and tailgating.

While the message is simple, slowing down and buckling up are simple ways teens can stay safe on the roads.

Minimize Distractions

We know teens are more susceptible to distractions behind the wheel, especially if friends are in the car. Distractions could include:

Texting or talking on the phone
Eating
Loud music or conversations with friends

Encourage your teen to be an engaged driver, in the moment, focused on the road.

Be the Driver You Want Them to Be

Parents, sometimes what you say isn’t nearly as loud as what you do. Especially when it comes to what you do in the car. Be an engaged driver. Slow down in inclement weather. Wear your seat belt and put down the phone. Your kids and teens are watching you for good driving habits.

Visit Shift-idaho.org/idahoready for winter driving tips, including info on winter emergency kits and pointers for new-to-snow drivers.

ITD to clear trees along Idaho Highway 162 in the coming weeks to make it safer

Trees along Idaho Highway 162 near milepost 20 will be removed in the coming weeks to improve safety for drivers, with work scheduled to start today.

Maintenance crews will gradually remove trees that appear to be dead or dying within this road section. The highway will be reduced to one lane and closed completely for approximately 15 minutes each time a tree is dropped.

Crews are generally expected to work between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. The brushing project could take up to two weeks to complete between snow storms, so drivers are advised to pay attention to signs in the area and to check 511.idaho.gov for specific timing of impacts.

This particular section lost several trees during a storm in early February that left one ITD operator injured after a tree fell onto his plow truck as he stood next to it. That employee, while initially released from the hospital after the incident, is still recovering at home.

“Recent events remind us of the dangers of dead trees close to the road,” Foreman Lee Linabary said. “This is one of several sections of highway that has been on the list for brushing activities ever since the 2015 fire near Kamiah.”

An estimated thirty trees will be removed in the initial area, but drivers should expect more trees with the potential to fall onto highways during storms to be cleared along several more miles of ID-162 near Kamiah and ID-62 near Craigmont this summer.

Overnight eastbound I-84 closure scheduled March 6 at Northside Boulevard (Exit 35)

The Idaho Transportation Department will implement a short-term overnight closure on eastbound I-84 at the Northside Interchange on Friday, March 6.

Beginning at 12 a.m. until 4 a.m., eastbound I-84 traffic will be detoured off the Interstate at Northside Boulevard (Exit 35). Traffic can use the interchange’s on-ramp to re-enter eastbound I-84. Travel will remain open on Northside Boulevard.

This closure will allow crews to safely perform roadway maintenance I-84. You can view a detour map below.

For more information about the I-84 widening project, listen to the Drive Idaho podcast, visit itdprojects.org/84corridor or text 84CORRIDOR to 555888 to request construction updates. You can also contact ITD at 84corridor@itd.idaho.gov and (208) 334-8002.

Road Closed…What?!

You planned a fun ski trip for the last 3 months across the other side of the state. You get ready to head out the door and check the weather for your route. You’re expecting snow but as of right now roads look fine. You have a 5 plus hour drive to get to the ski resort if all goes well. It’s 4 pm on a Thursday and you start your journey east to the mountains, if all goes well you’ll be there by 9 pm. A few hours into your drive the weather takes a little turn, the snow is coming down a little heavier, temperatures start to drop and the wind is now beginning to blow pretty hard. You start driving a little slower and about 70 miles from the ski resort your travels have now become white knuckle driving.

Only 55 miles left to go, you are a little edgy and just want to get to the resort and off the icy roads. You start on one of the local highways headed East to the mountain and about 45 minutes from the resort you drive up to a road closure on the highway. Saying some choice words at this point and thinking you can make it because you’re so close you stop behind a semi waiting the storm out at the block. You step out and realize its dang cold and windy, so you get back in your car and bundle up to stay warm. You get back out of your car and walk up to the gentleman sitting at the road block.

Dying to drive past the road block and get to the resort you ask him the infamous question…why is the road closed? The man tells him it is very low visibility, the 5 foot snow drifts are completely across the road and the crews cannot keep up with them as the wind is already at 45 mph. A little upset, you now follow-up with another question…when will the road be open? Can I just drive through, I’m sure I can make it?!

Of course the answer will always change as to when a road will be open as that is completely on a situational basis but the man tells you it will be open as soon as the weather cooperates and they can break though so maybe tomorrow night. He also proceeds to say that you cannot drive through the road block. Quite upset at this point because this totally messed up your weekend ski trip, you turn around and decide to stay in a hotel nearby to wait out the storm in hopes the road will open soon. Instead of driving passed the road block you make a wise choice to wait it out.

Has this scenario ever happened to you before where you drove up to a road closure due to the weather? If you live in Idaho, it most likely has happened to quite a few of you. It’s frustrating, it’s inconvenient and trust us when we say we totally understand!

Many travelers wonder why we close roads during the winter weather season…There’s many reasons actually! In severe weather road conditions our number 1 reason is low-visibility. ITD crews make numerous passes on our roadways and if they cannot see well they determine it is unsafe for motorists. Secondly, if the wind is blowing too hard then the snow drifts become uncontrollable. Once the snow drifts become unmanageable and the crews cannot keep up with them, this is also an indicator to close a road. Some other reasons would be severe black ice on the roadways and heavy snowfall that is impassable. Also, in the mountain passes typically the road might be closed due to avalanches.

When crews close a road, it is closed for a good reason…to keep motorists safe! ITD and ISP do not like to close roads due to the weather, we would prefer keep roads open to keep traffic flowing but that is not the case all of the time. Here’s some food for thought…when coming up to a road block and you get the urge to drive past it and continue on know that per Idaho Code 19-623 it is up to a $300 fine, a possible misdemeanor and possible imprisonment in county jail.

So when you drive up to a road block next time, we recommend to simply turn back and stay in a safe place until the road becomes open again. Our #1 goal is safety for the travelling public and ourselves!

Roads will only close for you and your family’s safety and we want to create the safest travel possible. Be sure to drive for the conditions, plan ahead, be prepared, stay engaged, and visit 511.idaho.gov before you go for current road updates. Dont forget to check out ITD’s road closure video!

Bridge replacements to close lanes on I-90 starting next week

I-90 where it crosses over Pennsylvania Avenue in CDA

Work will start Monday, March 2 to replace bridges on Interstate 90 where it passes over Pennsylvania Avenue near the exit for Sherman Avenue. The two bridges were built in 1960 and are being replaced to ensure continued safe travel.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction and crossed over to the westbound lanes, as the eastbound structure will be closed and rebuilt first. Once the eastbound structure is complete, the westbound structure will be rebuilt, and two lanes of traffic will be shifted to the other bound.

Pennsylvania Avenue will be closed underneath the bridges for the duration of the project, with traffic detoured to Elm Street. Both bridges over Pennsylvania Avenue are planned for completion in October.

Drivers and residents can also expect increased noise and vibration impacts during demolition of the old bridges and pile-driving of new support structures throughout construction. These activities will be scheduled during the day to limit impacts to residents.

Crews are scheduled to work Monday through Saturday.

To learn more, visit itdprojects.org/i90pennsylvania.

Cunningham thanks ITD for support in face of kidney failure

Chris Cunningham hasn’t been a part of the ITD family for too long — he started working here just three years ago — but he is extremely grateful for the love and support from the department as he faces advanced kidney failure.

“My condition is Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) — it causes cysts to grow on your kidneys,” Chris explained. “It an inherited disease, and has no known cure or treatment. “

His brother went to the hospital with severe back pain when Chris was 16 and was diagnosed with PKD. Doctors recommended Chris be tested for it, too, which confirmed that Chris had also inherited the disease from his father.

“My kidneys have failed further over the last few years and the function has decreased significantly. I started dialysis two years ago. Since then, I have had about 13 surgeries related to my condition.”

Chris has end-stage kidney renal failure. For the past two years, he has been working on getting a kidney transplant. His sister, Cara, has been tested and she’s a match. Still, funding stands in the way.

“I will have to live in Salt Lake City, Utah for six weeks and insurance doesn’t cover housing, food or travel,” Chris explained.

“Thankfully, our insurance will cover a large portion of the surgeries and medicine,” said his wife, Diane. “ However, Chris will be on anti-rejection medication for the duration of his life and we will have to visit Salt Lake on a frequent basis the first year and then sporadically the rest of his life. While this is a complete miracle and blessing, the travel, medicine and surgeries have taken a very heavy toll on our finances, with many more expenses to come. We are asking our community, friends, family and loved ones to help ease the toll if they can.”

If you or someone else may be able to help, or just wants more information, please visit this site.

Cunningham started as a Transportation Tech in the Caldwell maintenance shed in early 2017 and was promoted to be one of the two equipment trainers about 18 months ago.

“ITD has helped so much and supported me throughout my journey,” Chris said. “I’m eternally grateful. ITD really is a family.”

ITD partners with Leighton Vander Esch on seat belt safety

Buckle Up, Idaho campaign kick off with Leighton Vander Esch

BOISE—The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is partnering with Idaho native and Dallas Cowboys’ linebacker Leighton Vander Esch to remind Idahoans to buckle up.

Brought to life in a new educational campaign, “Rules to LVE By,” today’s announcement kicks off a partnership between ITD and Vander Esch focusing on the importance of wearing a seat belt at all times while in a vehicle.

“We are thrilled to partner with Leighton on this project,” said ITD Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson. “He believes in hard work and doing things the right way, these are his rules to live by. Wearing a seat belt is one of those rules and we hope other Idahoans follow that example.”

Statistics show that eighty-five percent of people in Idaho buckle up. At the same time, nearly two-thirds of people killed in motor vehicle crashes were not properly restrained. The majority of those people were killed on rural roads.

“Having Leighton onboard can really make a difference in those rural communities,” Tomlinson said. “That’s where he grew up and he really understands the values of a small town but he also has a broad appeal that will resonate with all Idahoans.”

“I’m very proud to be from Idaho and my wife and I love coming home every chance we get,” Vander Esch said. “Lately, I’ve been learning a lot about the importance of seatbelt safety in my work with ITD, I’m excited to partner with them to help educate Idahoans about the importance of buckling up.”

The statewide program “Rules to LVE By” will include a media campaign featuring Vander Esch and educational events being planned at schools throughout the state. The first commercials featuring Vander Esch and his personal rules, including a message to “always buckle up,” were released today, and can be seen at shift-idaho.org/buckleupidaho.

“I’m grateful that I can help save lives and give back to the place that will always be my home,” Vander Esch said.

ITD to install wildlife fence to improve safety along ID-28

LEADORE – To make the highway safer for the public and wildlife, the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will be building wildlife fencing on both sides of Idaho Highway 28 in a three-mile stretch of road between Leadore and Lemhi through August. This action comes about as a result of wildlife-migration studies in the area that show a need for safer mitigation routes due to elevated wildlife-vehicle collision rates.

In addition to the fencing, crews will also be installing new wildlife warning signs, cattle guards, and gates along with building numerous wildlife jump-outs.

ITD worked closely with the Idaho Department of Fish & Game to identify sections of roadway along ID-28 that had these migration safety concerns.

Throughout project construction, ITD will close the highway shoulders in the construction zone and we will also conduct intermittent traffic control as needed.

ITD will close ID-31 for the day starting at 10 am today for snow removal operations

VICTOR – The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) will close ID-31 from Swan Valley to Victor temporarily starting today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In order to safely move the snow, ITD crews will be conducting multiple snow removal operations along the highway.

Due to recent storms, the area has accumulated a large amount of snow that is hazardous to the area. This planned operation is in efforts to prevent future avalanches and properly remove snow along the roadway the safest way possible for the public and for ITD crews.

ITD advises drivers to plan your trip accordingly during this planned road closure for maintenance.

Please check for road updates on Idaho’s traveler advisory service at 511.idaho.gov or call 5-1-1.

Additional information on winter safety can be found at: itd.idaho.gov/road-mtce/

Wet weather expected to create hazardous travel conditions in North Central Idaho through the weekend

Plow truck damaged by a tree on ID-162 MP 21

Drivers are encouraged to exercise caution as snowy, rainy and windy conditions are creating hazardous conditions by bringing trees and rocks down onto highways in North Central Idaho. Soils, saturated by moisture, are not able to anchor rocks and vegetation to hillsides.

Small rockslides closed Idaho Highway 14 at mileposts 22 and 38 earlier this morning, and US-12 at milepost 93 is currently blocked by fallen trees. Over the last several days, variable weather conditions have resulted in numerous callouts for downed trees, rock fall and plugged culverts.

“Heavy snow from previous storms has weighed down trees, and saturated soils are unable to keep trees in place, especially in windy conditions,” Operations Engineer Bob Schumacher said. “Just last night, one of our plow trucks—while responding to a downed tree in the road—was hit by another tree.”

The truck was not occupied at the time.

“So far, we have dealt mainly with rocks and trees,” Schumacher said. “Travelers should also be aware of the potential for avalanches in areas of steep slopes, particularly on US-12, with this variable weather.”

Drivers are advised to be cautious this time of year and to look for debris in the road. They should also check 511.idaho.gov for any road blockages or closures, and plan extra time for any travel.