Media Manager

BOISE - Idahos new Quick Clearance law starts July 1, the Idaho Transportation Department and Idaho State Police announced. The law is intended to improve safety and traffic flow on Idahos interstates and major
divided highways.

The law requires motorists involved in a collision that does not cause a death or injury to drive their vehicles to a shoulder, median or emergency lane if they can safely do so. The law only applies to interstates and major
divided highways. Some collisions occur as the result of another crash. In some cases, emergency responders are victims in these secondary crashes.

We want to keep our highways as safe as possible for motorists and emergency responders both, said ITD Assistant District 3 Engineer Elaine Davis. This law helps do that.

The safer we can make a crash scene for citizens and emergency responders, the better, said Idaho State Police Captain Steve Richardson. But motorists involved in a crash must see to their own safety as well. They should not move their vehicle if someone has been injured, and they should not put anyone at risk to move their vehicle off the roadway.

For every minute a roadway lane is closed, it takes several minutes for traffic to recover. Closed travel lanes cause significant congestion and cost Idaho businesses and employees in missed work time, additional business
expenses and increased fuel consumption.

The transportation department will join with Idaho State Police to offer interviews to members of the news media from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday (June 30) in the WYE Interchange area.