Idaho Transportation Department Urges Drivers to Slow Down, Stay Alert in Work Zones During Statewide Safety Week
Idaho Work Zone Awareness Week Highlights Fatal Crash Toll
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department is calling on drivers across the Gem State to make safety a priority in work zones, as National Work Zone Awareness Week runs from April 20 through April 24. This year’s theme — “Safe Actions Save Lives” — underscores how personal responsibility behind the wheel can protect the workers who build and maintain Idaho’s roads.
ITD Chief Deputy Dave Kuisti issued a direct appeal to Idaho motorists, noting that the people working in construction zones are part of the same communities drivers call home. “Idaho drivers know what it means to look out for their neighbors,” Kuisti said. “The men and women in our work zones are Idahoans too; parents, friends, and community members. A few extra seconds of patience on the road can be the difference between a close call and a tragedy.”
The message carries serious weight. In 2024, Idaho recorded 904 work zone crashes, including nine fatalities, according to ITD data. Beyond the human cost, those crashes carried a significant financial toll — nearly $188 million in economic impact statewide. Those figures reflect not only the direct costs of emergency response and medical care, but also the broader ripple effects on productivity, infrastructure timelines, and communities across North Idaho and beyond.
Construction Season Underway — What Bonner County Drivers Should Know
As spring construction season accelerates across Idaho, work zones are appearing with increasing frequency — from Highway 95 and Highway 200 corridors in Bonner County to busy urban stretches in the Treasure Valley. ITD officials emphasize that work zones vary widely in size and duration, and can emerge on everything from multilane urban highways to rural two-lane roads with little warning.
North Idaho drivers traveling through Sandpoint, Ponderay, Priest River, and surrounding communities are reminded to stay alert as infrastructure projects ramp up through the warmer months. The combination of increased traffic, narrowed lanes, shifted traffic patterns, and workers on foot creates conditions that demand full driver attention.
To support the week’s campaign, ITD launched a weeklong video series featuring real stories from Idaho’s work zones. The videos put a human face on the issue — spotlighting the workers behind the cones and reinforcing why safe driving decisions matter. ITD encourages drivers to watch and share the series as a way to spread awareness within their communities.
Motorists are urged to take several practical steps when approaching or traveling through work zones:
Plan ahead using Idaho 511 to check for active construction zones and delays before hitting the road. Obey posted signs, including reduced speed limits that carry increased fines in work zones under Idaho law. Stay engaged — distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of work zone crashes nationwide. Allow extra travel time to avoid the temptation to rush through a construction corridor.
The economic and human consequences of preventable crashes extend well beyond the individuals involved. When work zone crashes occur, they delay project timelines, increase costs for taxpayers funding infrastructure improvements, and put both workers and other drivers at greater risk. ITD officials stress that the burden of prevention falls on every driver who passes through a construction zone.
For current road conditions, project updates, and work zone locations, drivers can visit itd.idaho.gov or call 511 from any phone in Idaho. Complete information about National Work Zone Awareness Week resources and the video series is also available through the department’s website.
What Comes Next
National Work Zone Awareness Week runs through April 24, 2026, with ITD continuing its daily video series highlighting worker experiences and safety messages. As Idaho’s construction season extends through summer and into fall, ITD is expected to maintain public outreach around work zone safety — particularly as major corridor projects advance on key routes like Highway 95 in Bonner County. Drivers can expect continued signage, public messaging, and enforcement presence in active work zones statewide. For statewide transportation and infrastructure policy updates, visit Idaho News.