BONNERS FERRY — A report utilized for identifying traffic safety problems and targets for crash reduction programs shows that Boundary County is seeing an increase in crashes and fatalities, an upward trend that has transportation officials continuing to work on improved roadway safety. 

According to the report, Boundary County has seen a 50% increase in fatal crashes from 2024 to 2025 — one to two fatalities — and a 6.97% increase in injury-causing crashes — 43 to 46crashes. In total crashes, Boundary County has seen a 9.2% increase from 2024 to 2025 — 152 to 166 total crashes.   

Of the 166 crashes in 2025, 46 crashes resulted in injuries, with a total of 65 people injured in crashes.  

The two fatalities in Boundary County are part of District 1’s total of 34 fatalities. Boundary County has the lowest fatalities in the district, with Kootenai County having 13 in 2025. Bonner, Benewah, Shoshone and Boundary counties saw eight, six, and five fatalities, respectively. 

Across the state, officials reported a total of 28,127 crashes in 2025, 231 of which were fatal. 252 people were killed as a result. The report notes that only 41% of the individuals killed in crashes were wearing seatbelts.  

“If everyone had been wearing seatbelts, 36 of the 72 unbelted motor vehicle occupants killed may have been saved,” the report said.  

In Boundary County, 11 injuries and 14 crashes were a result of impaired driving in 2025.  

Additionally, 35% of the fatalities in 2025 were caused by impaired drivers. Of the impaired driving crashes, 87% involved either the impaired driver, a person riding with the impaired driver or an impaired pedestrian. The report also notes that 10% of the impaired drivers were under 21.  

Drivers between the ages of 15 and 19 were 2.1 times as likely to be involved in a fatal or injury crash in 2025, with 35 people being killed in crashes involving a youthful driver.  

Data also show that 100% of fatal crashes due to distractions involved a passenger inside the vehicle. In total crashes, 35% of them occurred due to electronic communication devices and 30% due to a passenger.  

“The economic cost of crashes involving distracted driving was nearly $980 million in 2025. This represents 16% of the total costs of Idaho crashes,” the report said.  

In 2025, ITD reports that 2025’s total crashes cost nearly $6.1 billion in economic costs.  

ITD public information officer Heather McDaniel said it's important to keep in mind the rate of growth during the period in which the crash statistics/trends are being reported.  

Although the report doesn’t go further in-depth on traffic influx in Boundary County, it reports that licensed drivers in Idaho increased by 4% in 2025 — 1.43 million to 1.49 million — a population increase of 1% — 2.02 million to 2.03 million — and an 18% increase in registered motor vehicles — 1.9 million to 2.24 million.  

Major roadways that run through Boundary County have also seen an increase in drivers. U.S. Highway 2 averages 5,259 daily traffic in 2025, compared to 5,029 in 2024. U.S. Highway 95 reflects an increase to 6,189 daily traffic in 2025, compared to 6,100 in 2024.  

State Highway 1 saw an influx of 353 daily traffic from 533 in 2024.  

Daily traffic is measured throughout the entire distance of the roadway through Idaho and does not highlight only Boundary County sections of the roadway. 

Data accumulated to make this report is used by state and local agencies to identify traffic safety problems and target areas for the development of crash reductions. McDaniel says that all current and future projects in District 1 are rooted in improving safety across North Idaho.  

“You really won't find a project that ITD has going that doesn’t have a significant safety nexus, considering that protecting and enhancing safety is at the core of everything we do,” McDaniel said. 

A full report of Idaho’s 2025 traffic crashes can be found at shorturl.at/ecpav. 

    State of Idaho District One 2025 Fatal Crashes
  

    Percentage of Distracted In or On Vehicle Total Crashes by Type of Distraction: 2025
  

    In 2025, males were 1.4 times more likely than females to be involved in any crash but were 3.6 times as likely as females to be involved in a fatal crash.