Fatal crashes over the past three years in Kootenai County are trending downward, according to the Idaho Transportation Department.

On Thursday, ITD released its annual statewide crash report for 2025. Data from this report show that fatal crashes in Kootenai County decreased from 17 in 2023 to 13 in 2025. Total crashes in the county also decreased from 2,294 in 2023 to 2,237 in 2024, then increased to 2,329 in 2025.

Meanwhile, statewide trends reveal that the number of people killed in fatal crashes in Idaho decreased from 275 in 2023 to 252 in 2025. The year 2024, however, shows 238 people were killed in fatal crashes.

That means there was a 5.9% increase in deaths caused by fatal crashes over the past year in Idaho.

“In 2025, there were five serious injuries for every person killed in motor vehicle crashes,” ITD said in the report. “On average, more than four people were killed or seriously injured every day in 2025. There was one person killed every 35 hours, and one person injured every 44 minutes. 

Within Coeur d’Alene, total crash incidents have fluctuated over the past three years. There were 779 crashes in 2023 before dropping to 669 in 2024. Last year saw 745 crashes in the city, and three fatal crashes over those three years.

Crash incidents in Post Falls have also fluctuated over the past three years. The 2023 crash total of 429 rose to 461 in 2024 before dropping to 444 in 2025. There have also been five fatal crashes in Post Falls between 2023 and 2025.

ITD’s annual report also delves into which demographics are most involved in statewide traffic incidents. According to the report, a lot of it has to do with age and gender.

Right now, in Idaho, according to the report, “young drivers continue to be over-involved in crashes.”

Drivers ages 19 and under were involved in 2.1 times as many fatal or injury traffic crashes. This age group comprised 5.8% of all licensed drivers and accounted for 12.4% of drivers in fatal and injury crashes. 

Drivers, ages 20 to 24, were involved in 1.5 times as many fatal or injury crashes as expected, according to ITD.

“Also of note, is the increase in the driving population over the age of 65 since 2010. That segment of drivers has increased from 16% of all licensed drivers in 2010 to 23% of licensed drivers in 2025,” according to the report. “This is why we are seeing increased numbers of drivers over 65 in crashes. While being the safest drivers, there are more of them.” 

Meanwhile, 79% of all of Idaho’s 231 fatal crashes in 2025 were caused by male drivers.

As to what causes the crashes, the data is separated into two categories: Single- and multiple-vehicle incidents. 

In single-vehicle crashes, 25% were caused by animals in the roadway, while 18% were due to speeding. In fact, there were 53,144 speeding citations given in 2025 throughout Idaho.

Per multiple-vehicle crashes, the greatest contributors were failing to yield (20%) and following too closely (18%). 

Impaired driving caused 9% of single-vehicle crashes and 3% of multiple-vehicle crashes in Idaho. There were also 6,185 impaired driving citations issued in Idaho for 2025, while the estimated cost of Idaho impaired driving crashes in 2025 was over $1.5 billion. 

Fatalities resulting from impaired driving crashes increased in 2025 by 1%, and 35% of all fatalities resulted from impaired driving. Of the 87 people killed in impaired driving crashes, 76 (87%) were either the impaired driver, a person riding with an impaired driver, or an impaired pedestrian. 

One hundred fifty-six of Kootenai County’s crashes in 2025 were due to impaired driving, resulting in six deaths. In Coeur d’Alene, 37 crashes were due to impaired driving in 2025, resulting in 14 injuries but no deaths. In Post Falls, 35 crashes were due to impaired driving in 2025, resulting in 12 injuries and one death.

Less populated communities in Kootenai County have also seen crash trends fluctuate. 

For the past three years in Hayden, crashes have decreased. The city saw 251 crashes in 2023, 239 in 2024 and 230 in 2025. Of its crashes in 2025, 12 were caused by impaired driving. It also saw three fatal crashes within three years.

For the past three years in Rathdrum, crashes have slightly increased. The city saw 78 crashes in 2023, 89 in 2024 and 82 in 2025. Of its crashes in 2025, six were caused by impaired driving. It saw two fatal crashes within three years.