BOISE, Idaho — As part of National Work Zone Awareness week and the start of construction season, AAA and the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) are encouraging drivers to use extra caution on roads in the Gem State.
The annual spring campaign begins Monday, April 17, and brings awareness to construction zone safety and unusual traffic patterns the projects present. AAA on Friday said as Idaho's weather warms up, "speeds start picking up, which makes the roads riskier for everyone."
According to ITD and the Idaho Office of Highway Safety, 3,315 work zone crashes occurred in the state between 2018 and 2022. During that span, there were 32 deaths to drivers or passengers in vehicles.
"What many people fail to recognize is the vast majority of people killed in work zone crashes are motorists and their passengers," ITD said in a news release.
Crashes in Idaho work zones cost nearly $109 million in 2022, 58% of which were rear-end collisions among drivers, per stats from the highway safety office.
“Work zones are dynamic places, and we need alert drivers who can safely navigate them and ensure that everyone makes it home to their families at the end of the day," said Matthew Conde, the AAA Idaho public affairs director.
Nationwide work zone crash statistics are shown in the graphic below, provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):
Idaho's "Slow Down, Move Over" law requires drivers to slow below the speed limit and move over at least one lane, if possible, when approaching a stationary emergency vehicle with flashing lights.
“In work zones, there are usually plenty of bright markers and perhaps some barriers to help protect workers," Conde said. "Tow truck technicians and other first responders are also in temporary work zones at the roadside, and they also need space to safely do their job … When roadside workers feel safe, projects are completed faster, which is good for everyone.”
AAA encourages drivers to watch out for vehicles and heavy equipment entering and exiting the road, barrels and cones, in addition to flaggers and other personnel.
Conditions and routes can change during the course of construction. Drivers should avoid blindly following a GPS in a work zone and be aware of abrupt lane edges, bumps, posted speed limits and temporary signage.
Click here for more information on ITD projects. For real-time road conditions and closures across the Gem State, use Idaho 511.
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