Written by Mary Hunter

Hi Highway Safety Partners,

I am so pleased to report that no traffic deaths occurred on Idaho highways during the Memorial Day weekend for the first time in 12 years.  Last year, six people died in five motor vehicle crashes on Idaho highways during the holiday reporting period, which began at 6 p.m. on the Friday before Memorial Day and concluded the following Tuesday at 6 a.m.   We looked back to 1981 and found only 3 years in which there were no traffic deaths during this busy travel holiday, 1982, 1987 and 1997.  The average toll for this holiday is 3.5 people killed.

I am also very pleased to report that our traffic death count is only 55 through the month of May while the state’s three-year average for motor vehicle fatalities through May is 88.  Nationally, motor vehicle deaths are down 10% in first four months of 2010 as compared to the corresponding 4-month period in 2009.  Idaho is down 34% by the same comparison.  And there are only a handful of states that show a greater decrease than Idaho.  Still, this is very preliminary information and the excellent reduction in traffic deaths could easily slip away.

To what might we attribute this reduction?  Well, we can’t be sure, because there are many factors that contribute to traffic crashes.  We hope that Idaho’s culture is changing, and that people are focusing more of their attention on driving. We hope people are buckling up, putting down cell phones, deciding to drive considerately, and saying no to driving after drinking. We hope people are making more responsible driving choices to improve the safety for themselves and for those they share the road with.

Other contributors might include the high visibility enforcement campaigns.  Most recently, 68 law enforcement agencies participated in the safety restraint campaign funded through a grant administered by our office.  The campaign ran from May 24 through June 6.  Even agencies that did not receive incentive or overtime funds participated in the safety effort by working with local media, visiting schools, and encouraging companies to put messages on reader boards and displaying posters.  In addition, other contributors might be the use of the ITD dynamic signs to share safety messages at no cost, improvements to roadways, safer cars, and the economy that may reduce recreational driving.

We have just finalized our Idaho Traffic Crashes 2009 Report which can be accessed at http://itd.idaho.gov/ohs/stats.htm.  This is a great resource for crash facts for Idaho. Also, the 2010 Draft Strategic Highway Safety Plan has been approved by the SHSP Oversight Team and will be presented to the ITD Board for their adoption next week.  It will then be available on our website.  It has been a great opportunity to build partnerships and strengthen our safety community.

Lastly, we want to build our safety community by learning of the various groups that are addressing traffic safety.  We want to begin to capture all the great work you are doing so that we can share it and build on your local successes.  If you are meeting with others to address safety, please email Evelyn Blank at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Thank you for your contributions to improving safety within your community.  Let us always remember to set a good example for others every time we get behind the wheel.

Mary Hunter
Highway Safety Manager
Office of Highway Safety, ITD
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.itd.idaho.gov/ohs

Toward Zero Deaths, Every Life Counts