Region 3

Idaho Highway Safety Coalition

Written by Evelyn Blank

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Objective:

 

To reduce deaths, serious injuries and economic losses in Idaho from motor vehicle crashes by promoting collaborative efforts between agencies, organizations and individuals within Idaho.  Coalition building has been recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) as an effective tool for behavior change.  Effective coalitions reach across borders and jurisdictions, bringing together agencies and groups that sometimes find themselves in competition rather than cooperation. 

 

 

 

 

According to NHTSA  “A broad-based, grassroots coalition enhances credibility. One saying is especially appropriate for coalitions: ‘It is easy to cut one blade of grass, but if you bind many blades together into a sheaf, they are very difficult to cut through.’ The more widespread support a project can demonstrate, the more seriously the effort is perceived. When the project demonstrates both widespread support and active involvement, opinion leaders, the media and the public begin to take the effort seriously and pay attention.”