“Alright, folks, no more crashes today, please. We met our quota,” the Rexburg Police Department Facebook page posted on Oct. 27.

After the first snow of the season, officers responded to 13 crashes, 10 of which were handled between noon and 3 p.m.

The Idaho Transportation Department shared that from October 2023 to April 2024, almost 17,000 crashes occurred in Idaho, resulting in 137 fatalities.

This is the second year that the Rexburg Police Department has held free winter driving classes.

Here are eight safety tips for driving in Idaho this winter.

1. Use Idaho’s weather app

Each state has an app that helps individuals know what the road conditions are. Idaho’s app is called 511. Idaho State Police Trooper Chris Jones recommended that if drivers are traveling across multiple states, then they should get each state’s app so they can plan for the weather.

2. Do not use cruise control in bad weather

“Cruise control blindly tells that car to go a certain speed, so if you run into some kind of hazard, the problem is that the car will continue to go at that speed until it is told to do otherwise,” said Jones.

Leaving cruise control on will decrease the time the driver has to react. Not only will the driver need to focus on braking if the cars ahead are stopping, but they will need to spend a few seconds turning off the cruise control before they can start braking, which can be dangerous if the driver only has a few seconds to react.

3. Plan ahead

When driving through bad weather, plan ahead.

It is important for the driver to give themselves extra time and have a backup route in mind. Sometimes a crash will slow down traffic or close a road. If the driver gives themselves extra time and has a backup route, they will have less stress and drive more safely.

4. Maintain a safe following distance

Drivers need to pay attention to their speed and keep their distance when driving.

When approaching a green light, it is always best to be going slow enough to stop in case it turns red. If it turns red and the driver is going too fast, they could slide on the ice through the intersection even if they do their best to brake.

5. Know how to brake correctly

Some cars have an automatic braking system that will stop when the driver slams on the brakes. If the car does not have an automatic braking system, then the driver will want to pump the brakes until the car slows down enough to come to a complete stop.

6. Learn how to stay in control of your vehicle

The two best ways for the driver to keep and gain control of the vehicle are to be intentional with their speed and steering.

If the driver feels the car starting to skid or slide across the road, they should point their tires in the direction that they want to go. If they keep turning the steering wheel, their car will go in whichever direction gravity is taking it.

Reducing speed and controlling steering will help the driver keep or regain control of the vehicle when driving in bad weather.

7. Look ahead

Jones said that drivers often make the mistake of only looking at the car in front of them as they are driving through heavy snow and traffic.

But if drivers do not look ahead, they might miss a crash ahead and slide into the car in front of them. Drivers need to look ahead so they can have time to react to cars that stop unexpectedly.

8. Be aware of snow plows

According to the winter driving class, there were 11 snow plows struck in the state of Idaho in 2024, which was six fewer than the year before.

Sky Buffat, Idaho’s Transportation Department Public Relations Officer, said that most incidents involve striking the right wing while vehicles are trying to pass.

When following a plow, do not pass it on its right, or you will hit its right wing. A plow's top speed is 30-40 miles per hour, so don’t expect it to go very fast, and be careful while passing them.

According to the Idaho State Police website, Colonel Bill Gardiner, Director of the Idaho State Police, said, “Winter roads challenge not only our skills but our commitment to safety.”

As the Rexburg Police Department said, they met their quota. Driving in the winter can be challenging and scary. But if you use these tips coupled with common sense, you can stay safer on the roads this winter.