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Innovating ITD and battling impaired drivers highlight February
board meeting

The Innovative Business Practices (IBP) team unveiled a new program called Innovate ITD to transportation board members during the group's monthly meeting last week. The board also elected its vice chairman, heard about Human Resources activities and learned about Highway Safety efforts to eliminate impaired driving in Idaho during the Feb 19 business meeting.

Innovate ITD encourages a flow of fresh ideas from throughout the department and recognizes those who contribute ideas and energy to help the agency work smarter, better and more efficiently.

The IBP team is working on creating opportunities for employees to be rewarded through a variety of means, ranging from public mention, to certificates or even bonuses. The team also will look to celebrate results in a variety of forums.

Other board discussion

Election of vice chair
Per Idaho Code, the board was required to elect a vice chairman at its February meeting. The board unanimously selected senior board member Jim Coleman to continue serving as vice chairman. He has held the position on the board since February 2012.

In addition to regular board duties, he is on the board subcommittee for 129,000-Pound Truck Routes and the subcommittee on Right-of-Way and Access Management. He also is the board's aviation liaison because of his extensive aeronautics experience.

Coleman was initially appointed to the transportation board, representing District 1, in 2007. After working for J-U-B Engineers Inc. for 26 years, he established his own business, Coleman Engineering Inc., in 2004.

Human Resources activities
The number of written warnings to employees increased from 29 in 2012 to 37 in 2013. The majority was due to policy violations. Similarly, disciplinary actions increased from 24 to 28 during that time, with 21 as a result of policy violations.

The employee turnover rate remained static from FY12 to FY13 at 10.8 percent. In FY13, 38 percent of turnovers were due to retirements, followed by 31 percent for personal reasons and 18 percent for new jobs outside ITD. Layoffs or medical separations and dismissals each contributed to five percent of the turnover, and three percent were due to failing to complete entrance probation.

There were 109 injury incidents in 2013, an increase of eight from the previous year; however, the days lost because of injuries increased dramatically, from 1,085 in FY12 to 4,029 in FY13. There were 143 vehicle collisions reported in FY13, resulting in $170,000 in damages, compared to 158 vehicle collisions in FY12 at a cost of $151,563. ITD paid $108,582 for 65 tort claims; an additional 73 claims were denied; eight are still open; three are inactive; and one was won.

Impaired driving in Idaho
In 2012, 40 percent of Idaho's highway fatalities were a result of impaired driving. The estimated cost of impaired driving crashes was more than $605 million, according to Office of Highway Safety Statistics. Nearly 13 percent of the impaired drivers involved in crashes were younger than 21.

To combat the impacts of impaired driving, an assessment of the problem was undertaken and an Impaired Driving Task Force was formed to implement strategies for eliminating fatal and serious injuries associated with impaired driving.

Alcohol is no longer the sole focus of impaired driving or driving under the influence. Drugs also are a concern, including prescription drugs. The Highway Safety team elaborated on the problem and efforts underway to address the serious issue.

In the past decade, nationwide, the use of multiple prescription drugs per person increased by 20 percent -- the number of people who use five or more prescription drugs increased by 70 percent.

One out of five Americans now uses five or more prescription drugs daily, many of which potentially impair driving. Research has identified approximately 200 drugs that potentially impair driving and are capable of causing sedation, blurred vision, hypotension (low blood pressure), dizziness, fainting or loss of coordination.

Some of the focus areas of the Impaired Driving Task Force are the alcohol interlock program, driving under the influence (DUI) mobilization efforts, and DUI courts.

Alcohol interlock program strategies involve re-writing administrative rules related to the program, training law enforcement officers and increasing participation in the interlock program. The DUI courts may help reduce crime by lowering re-arrest and conviction rates, improve substance abuse treatment outcomes and help reunite offenders with their families.