‘Senseless loss of life’: There’s been nearly a death a day on Idaho roads since May 24
There were 31 people killed in traffic accidents in 39 days starting May 24, according to the Idaho Transportation Department, preliminary numbers that show an “alarming spike” and a potentially “deadly summer.”
That number grew Wednesday morning when Boise police reported that one person died in a fiery crash on the Bench.
The traffic fatality total so far in 2024 is now 106, exceeding the 94 deaths as of this time last year. And 2023 was the deadliest year on Idaho roads in two decades, the Idaho Transportation Department said in a news release Tuesday.
A total of 277 people were killed last year; there were 293 deaths in 2003.
With the busy Fourth of July weekend coming, as well as many more summertime travel weeks, ITD said in the release that it’s “shaping up to be a deadly summer.”
“There’s no better place to be than Idaho’s great outdoors in the summer, but we want everyone to make it home safely, too,” Idaho Office of Highway Safety Manager Josephine Middleton said in the release. “Our actions behind the wheel are the only way we can prevent this senseless loss of life on our roads. Plan a sober ride, like a designated driver, especially if you are celebrating the holiday far from home.”
Over half of the people who died in Idaho last year in cars weren’t wearing a seat belt, and only 87% of Idahoans wear their seat belt, according to a 2023 Idaho Office of Highway Safety observational survey.
The Gem State lags behind the nationwide seat belt use rate of just under 92%, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
In Idaho, crash data show impairment from alcohol or drugs, distraction, speeding and failing to wear a seat belt as common factors in traffic fatalities, ITD Public Information Officer Ellen Mattila said in an email.
In the past week, the Ada County Coroner’s Office identified two victims of deadly crashes in the Treasure Valley, according to Idaho Statesman reporting.
Boisean Charles Gentry, 21, died when his motorcycle struck a vehicle near Boise Towne Square mall. Gentry was not wearing a helmet, authorities said. Kirsten Olsen, 20, of Meridian, died in a motorcycle crash near Lucky Peak Dam after failing to negotiate a curve. She was wearing a helmet, police said.
This week prosecutors secured a $1 million bond for a man believed to be responsible for “egregious” hit-and-run crashes on Saturday in downtown Boise that left two women with life-threatening injuries.
ITD does not yet have solid data on traffic injuries for 2024, Mattila said.
Vehicle deaths have fallen recently in most countries, but not in the United States, according to The New York Times. Experts have blamed a variety of factors, including a car-first culture that leaves behind cyclists and pedestrians, and bigger and heavier vehicles, The Times reported.
The stretch from Memorial Day in late May to Labor Day in early September is referred to as the 100 Deadliest Days, but officials will try to limit that by keeping impaired drivers off the roads. From now through July 10, Idaho State Police and local law enforcement will increase patrols in safety efforts, according to an ISP release.
“Impaired driving doesn’t just risk the driver’s life; it endangers everyone in our community — our children, neighbors and friends,” ISP Col. Kedrick Wills said in the release. “This Fourth of July, everyone should prioritize safety and responsibility.”
