Idaho traffic crashes, 2009

NHTSA · 2009 · ROSA P / Idaho. Office of Highway Operations and Safety

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Summary

This report, published by the Idaho Transportation Department’s Office of Highway Operations and Safety, provides a comprehensive statistical analysis of motor vehicle crashes in Idaho for the year 2009. The document serves as an annual resource for state and local agencies to identify traffic safety problems and target crash reduction programs. It utilizes data from the Idaho Transportation Department State Crash Database, which includes crashes investigated by law enforcement involving injury, death, or property damage exceeding $1,500. The analysis categorizes crashes by severity, roadway classification, driver demographics, and contributing circumstances, aligning with focus areas such as impaired driving, safety restraint usage, and aggressive driving. The study found that total motor vehicle crashes decreased by 8.0% in 2009, dropping from 25,002 in 2008 to 22,992. Fatalities decreased by 3% to 226, and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled fell to 1.46. Serious injuries declined by 6.9% to 1,399. Despite these reductions, the economic cost of crashes remained substantial, estimated at over $2.5 billion, or $1,629 per Idaho resident. Rural roadways accounted for 78% of fatal crashes, reflecting the state’s high proportion of rural mileage and higher speed limits. Single-vehicle crashes, while representing only 34% of all crashes, accounted for 54% of fatalities, with overturns being the leading harmful event. Key behavioral factors were identified as primary contributors to crash severity. Aggressive driving was a contributing factor in 52% of all crashes and resulted in 105 deaths. Impaired driving accounted for fewer than 29% of fatalities; however, 91% of those killed in impaired-driving crashes were the impaired driver, a passenger, or an impaired pedestrian. Seat belt usage showed a discrepancy between observation and reality: while observed usage increased to 79%, only 41% of occupants killed in crashes were wearing seat belts. The report estimates that 43 unbelted occupants might have survived had they been restrained. Youthful drivers (ages 15–19) remained over-involved in crashes, being 2.8 times more likely than other drivers to be involved in fatal or injury crashes. Additionally, 34 motorcyclists and 10 pedestrians were killed in 2009. The significance of these findings lies in their utility for targeted safety interventions. The data highlights that while overall crash numbers are declining, specific high-risk behaviors—such as aggressive driving, impaired driving, and non-use of seat belts—continue to drive severe outcomes. The disproportionate impact of rural roads and single-vehicle rollovers suggests a need for engineering and enforcement strategies specific to those environments. By quantifying the economic burden and identifying specific demographic and behavioral risk factors, the report provides the evidence base necessary for allocating highway safety grant programs and developing effective injury prevention strategies.

Key finding

Idaho experienced 226 traffic fatalities and 22,992 total crashes in 2009, with single-vehicle crashes accounting for 54 percent of all fatalities despite representing only 34 percent of total crashes.

Methodology

dataset

Provenance

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Topics

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• incidence prevalence
• fatality injury trends
• demographic disparities
• comparative international

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence
• Methodological Resource: dataset resource