Idaho Reports Fewer Highway Deaths During the 100 Deadliest Days

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX)-State transportation numbers show the number of people killed on Idaho roads is down from last year. According to the Idaho Transportation Department (ITD), preliminary numbers show 91 people were killed in the state between Memorial Day and Labor Day, known as the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, down from 101 during the same time period in 2018.

“Summer driving is a big concern of ours,” said Highway Safety Manager John Tomlinson in a prepared statement. “This is why we work so closely with law enforcement agencies and other partners throughout the state to promote safe, engaged driving.”

The majority of those fatalities involved automobiles while 17 were motorcycles and six all-terrain or other recreational vehicles. ITD said that 75 of those deaths were on rural roads while the rest happened in urban areas. Also, 28 people had died out of the 51 passenger vehicle crashes because they were not wearing a seat belt. Maintaining a lane was another major contributing factor in 23 fatalities and aggressive-driving killed 13 people. Eight people died because of inattentive driving.

ITD said the Office of Highway Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funds to law enforcement agencies for four high visibility patrols during the 100 days along with media campaigns encouraging people to drive safely. ITD noted the numbers were preliminary and could change.