Idaho saw a reduction in traffic fatalities in 2022. Last year, 219 people were killed in crashes on Idaho roads, according to preliminary data from the Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS). This represents a 19% decrease from 2021, where there were 271 deaths on Idaho roads.
“It is nice to see progress, but 219 distinct tragedies show we still have a lot of work to do,” said OHS Manager Josephine Middleton. ‘These deaths have a profound impact on families, friends, and communities. We want to work with partners across the state to prevent future tragedies.’ ‘We certainly want to see that number move lower and lower but it is a good step in the right direction,’ said Ellen Mattila, a spokeswoman with ITD. ‘We did see a jump in seatbelt use. Office of Highway Safety does an observational seatbelt survey every summer, and we saw an increase in seatbelt use over previous years so we think that is a really good, positive trend.’ ITD reports: More Idahoans are making the safe choice to wear their seat belts. The Idaho Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is pleased to report that statewide seat belt use rose to 87.6% in 2022, an increase of nearly 5% over last year. In 2021, Idaho’s seat belt use was 82.9%. ‘This increase in seat belt use is a good sign for Idaho because seat belts save lives,’ said OHS Occupant Protection Program Manager Tabitha Smith. ‘We want everyone to buckle up. One click can save your life.’ Seat belts increase your chances of surviving a crash by nearly 50%. Despite the effectiveness of seat belts and the high usage rate, failing to buckle up is one of the most common contributing factors in traffic fatalities. Last year, 103 people who were killed in motor vehicle crashes were not wearing seat belts – that is 38% of all fatalities in 2021. “That simple action of clicking your seat belt is one of the easiest things you can do to stay safe. I’m happy that most Idahoans buckle up, but we still can still do better” It should be noted that 2021, the COVD breakout year for driving, was a higher fatality year. There were so many bad behaviors on the road. Lots of aggressive driving and speeding has been witnessed across the State and in Island Park.
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May 2023
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