Sometimes car tires look too big and people resemble sticks, but the highway safety messages young Idaho artists prepare each year for ITD’s Highway Safety Kids Calendar are serious, life-saving reminders.

“Don’t drink and drive,” “Don’t text and drive,” and “Always wear a seat belt” are some of this year’s themes interpreted with crayons and markers by more than 900 students statewide.

Fourteen entries were chosen for the pages of the 2013 calendar from schools in Post Falls, Peck, Nampa, Boise, Middleton, Ketchum, Glenns Ferry, Malad, Terreton, Inkom, Burley and Soda Springs.

Students from kindergarten through second grade tackled the subjects of seat belts, child and booster seats or school-zone safety.

Third- and 4th-graders selected bicycle safety, distracted or aggressive driving, or teen driving.

The fifth and sixth grade students chose from impaired driving, teen-driving safety, seat belts or work-zone safety.

Each year, the Office of Highway Safety honors those working to save lives in their communities and around the state as part of the calendar.

“This year, we recognize the state troopers, police officers and sheriff’s deputies throughout the state who are working together as ‘ONE TEAM’ to keep impaired drivers out of the driver’s seat,” said Margaret Goertz, with ITD’s Office of Highway Safety.

A limited number of the calendars is available in the Headquarters lobby; calendars also are available through Goertz at (208) 334-8104.

Photos: Andrew, from Middleton, created cover artwork for the 2013 Highway Safety Kids Calendar (top). Other student artwork (top to bottom at left) are: June’s no-speeding message was by Lucas, from Soda Springs; Safe driving at train crossings was the message by Cameron, from Peck, for October; Laine, from Ketchum, chose texting and driving as the subject of her calendar artwork for November; and Erik, from Burley, supplied August’s artwork highlighting school-zone safety.