Idaho Transportation Department Urges Driver Caution as National Work Zone Awareness Week Gets Underway
Idaho Work Zones Saw 904 Crashes and Nine Fatalities in 2024
RIGBY, Idaho — The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is marking National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 20–24, with a statewide push to reduce crashes and protect road construction workers across the Gem State. This year’s theme — “Safe Actions Save Lives” — underscores how individual decisions behind the wheel can mean the difference between life and death for both drivers and the crews maintaining Idaho’s roads.
The urgency behind the campaign is grounded in hard numbers. In 2024, Idaho recorded 904 work zone crashes, including nine fatalities. Those crashes carried an estimated economic impact of nearly $188 million, according to ITD. With construction season now accelerating across the state — from rural two-lane highways to busy urban corridors in Idaho Falls, Ammon, and beyond — transportation officials say the time for drivers to sharpen their habits behind the wheel is now.
“If the number be high or low, whatever it be, any fatality on the road, in a work zone, anywhere at all, for any reason is a tragedy. And it’s felt deeply by those of us that feel a responsibility for our state transportation system,” said Sky Buffat, ITD’s Public Information Officer. “You don’t come to work planning on losing your life that day.”
Slow Down, Put Away Distractions, and Plan Ahead
Safety advocates are pointing to distracted driving as one of the leading dangers in active work zones. Matthew Conde of AAA emphasized that drivers should begin reducing distractions the moment they spot the first signs of a construction area — not once they are already inside the zone.
“Keep the conversation down a little bit so that you’re focused on those sudden turns. If you need to merge, pull over, or detour, those are the things you need to be able to do safely,” Conde said. “We need to make sure all those road workers are getting home.”
Buffat echoed that sentiment, stressing that work zones are not just arrangements of traffic cones and concrete barriers — they are places where real Idahoans are doing their jobs in close proximity to fast-moving vehicles. “It’s not just traffic cones and blockades, but the men and women that wear high vis colors and are out there on the road working. They have families at home too,” he said.
ITD officials are also focusing on new and young drivers, encouraging them to build safe habits early. Even experienced drivers, officials say, can become complacent in familiar areas, which raises the risk of preventable collisions.
To help drivers navigate active construction areas, ITD recommends using Idaho 511, the state’s official traveler information service, to check road conditions and work zone locations before heading out. Following posted signs and remaining engaged throughout the entire drive — not just in marked zones — are also key recommendations from transportation officials.
As part of the awareness effort, ITD has launched a weeklong video campaign featuring real stories from work zones across Idaho. The series is designed to put a human face on a statistic that can feel abstract until it strikes close to home. The campaign aims to remind every driver that the person in a reflective vest standing feet from traffic is a neighbor, a parent, a fellow community member.
Motorists traveling East Idaho roadways near Idaho Falls, along Highway 20, or near active construction zones on I-15 are encouraged to allow extra travel time, reduce speed when posted signs require it, and eliminate phone use while driving through any active work area. Law enforcement in the region has remained active in traffic enforcement, and officials say driver accountability plays a major role in keeping both workers and motorists safe.
What Comes Next
National Work Zone Awareness Week runs through April 24. ITD’s video campaign will continue rolling out through the week across the department’s digital and social media channels. As Idaho’s construction season ramps up through spring and summer, transportation officials say the messaging will extend beyond the awareness week, with continued outreach aimed at reducing work zone crashes and fatalities throughout 2026. Drivers are encouraged to visit 511.idaho.gov for real-time road conditions and to stay informed about construction activity across Bonneville County and all of eastern Idaho. For statewide transportation and infrastructure news, visit Idaho News.