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Great job in keeping Idaho motorists alive

ITD employees
ITD’s commitment to safe travel on our highways is producing tangible results. Your efforts, and those of our many highway safety partners, have played a part in helping to reduce serious crashes. Even more important, you’re doing a great job in helping to save lives.

Preliminary numbers from ITD’s Office of Highway Operations and Safety indicate we’re likely to continue a four-year decline in the number of fatalities. Last year an estimated 232 people died on Idaho highways, down from 252 the year before, down from 267 in 2006 and down from 275 in 2005. The fatality rate per million miles traveled also has declined each of the past four years.

What does that mean? More mothers and fathers are returning home at night to be with their families. More sons and daughters, sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles are alive today.

But the price we pay remains far too high. Despite the continuing decline in deaths, we are losing too many motorists and passengers in fatal crashes. That’s why highway safety remains ITD’s highest priority. Everything we do to maintain and improve our highways has a core goal of saving lives while keeping Idaho moving.

I applaud your efforts to drive down the number of fatalities. This is a result of your constant dedication, day after day, and for many of you working shifts, night after night.

Thank you for making a life-saving difference. But let’s not settle for a four-year decline. Let’s keep working hard to continue the downward trend.

Your family members, neighbors and friends depend on it.

Scott Stokes
Acting Director