Blaine County Driver Safety
BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
One doesn’t need a driver’s license to buy and register a vehicle in Idaho. Insurance is required, yes, and surely a license would be required for that, right? Nope. As well, you can get insurance without having a driver’s license. State Farm, for instance, requires a driver’s license to insure as they look to minimize risk; however, not all insurance companies do.
But why would you need a vehicle registered without proof of driver’s license? Perhaps you have a vintage vehicle that you rarely drive, or maybe you enjoy the lifestyle of employing a chauffeur, or maybe a teen buys a car but is waiting to receive a license.
“In order to get a vehicle registration in Idaho, you need to be a resident of the state. Your vehicle must also be titled in Idaho. You are automatically considered an Idaho resident if you have been living in Idaho for at least 90 days. However, if you would like to go to the DMV and pay for a car registration earlier, you are allowed to declare residency in Idaho at any time. The 90-day timeframe is simply the maximum amount of time you are allowed to live in Idaho before you are declared a resident. In addition to getting the title, you will need to get your vehicle inspected. You will need to bring these documents along with a form of identification and a form of payment.” (DMV.com)
The penalty for driving without a license is $150 for the first infraction, which is close to the average price of a speeding ticket.
What does it mean to have a driver’s license? It means knowing the rules of the roads in Idaho, which are quite different from other states and countries. It means knowing the speed limit in all towns is 35 mph and often you’ll even see 25 mph signs in between.
Driving Patterns in Blaine County
If you’ve been cut off or nearly missed a wreck due to a careless driver, you might take notice.
According to the Hailey Police Department, “Yes, accidents have gone up.” While the fatalities have been low, “there’s a ton of fender benders” and many of the accidents point toward road rage. As a dispatcher from Hailey PD puts it, “There’s no code in Idaho for road rage,” so determining cause and thus prevention is something of a dark art. Many people think it’s aggressive drivers that cause accidents but sentiment at the Hailey PD is that it’s the opposite. It’s timid drivers who either don’t know the laws, are inebriated or uncomfortable driving in Idaho traffic.
Are We Living in an Angrier World?
There have been numerous accidents in and around Blaine County and seemingly with increasing frequency. There are daily wrecks near the junction of Highway 75, Ohio Gulch Road, and Elkhorn Road. Perhaps it’s worth knowing to keep an eye out in these areas.
On a dark, rainy night in January, a female pedestrian was struck and injured. When the police arrived, the driver, who had not been speeding but had a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit, committed suicide at the scene. According to the passenger with him, he had been on his cellphone, as well. This type of tragedy is not common, thankfully, but driving with a cellphone is. Whether it’s looking at a map, texting or calling (even on speaker), basic common knowledge is that any distraction from the road is a cause for concern.
Solutions
It’s that time of year when snow or rain can create black ice. Keeping your eyes on the road and being hyper-aware of the drivers around you can help. Update your tires for fresh tread, make sure all lights and blinkers work and, of course, if you plan to have a drink, it’s wise to plan to have a designated driver or call a taxi service for your commute.
The Idaho Transportation Department provides a helpful web app to measure traffic volume through their Automatic Traffic Recorders. This data can be visualized online at https://itd.idaho.gov/road-data/
Blaine County traffic volume in 2023 was lower than 2022 for the entire year, with only a small surge in January and again in November. Idaho has seen a massive influx of people from all over, including those from the ‘California diaspora,’ as well as abroad. There are more drivers on the road and that means a higher probability for accidents.
The good news is the Gateway District Urban Renewal Project for all of Blaine County, but especially focused on Hailey, intends to bring the goods. In addition to business and arts funding, the GDUR is committed to making Hailey a better equipped city for pedestrians and bicycles. In the meantime, it’s up to the community to prevent accidents by driving safely.