TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Drivers expecting to travel through the construction zone on Interstate 84 near Twin Falls anytime soon will see new speed limit postings.

The Idaho Transportation Department and Idaho State Police on Saturday will lower the speed limit to 65 mph through the construction area. The reduced speed limit is in an effort to increase driver safety through the work zone.

However, safety officials say drivers play a crucial part in staying safe on the roads and highways.

“The posted speed limit is a maximum during ideal conditions — it is not meant to replace a driver’s good judgment,” Brice Christensen, ITD’s area traffic engineer, said in a news release on Thursday.

There are reasons for a reduced speed limit, says Lt. Robert Rausch, a deputy district commander with ISP. He said police are “seeing problems related to impatience and inattentiveness when drivers enter a work zone. Motorists are often time driving too aggressively for the area and not affording themselves enough space to safely react to changes in traffic flow.”

The transportation department says each driver plays an important role when on the highway, noting the most common contributing factors in Idaho crashes (about 94 percent) are human-caused: aggressive driving, distracted driving, and impaired driving.

According to preliminary reports, according to ITD, there have been at least 40 reported fatalities on Idaho roads since Memorial Day weekend.

“One thing I like to stress during these summer months is for drivers to plan ahead and be prepared,” Rausch said. “Be prepared for the unfortunate event of your vehicle breaking down, plan ahead to ensure you always have a sober driver, and make sure you are never driving drowsy or distracted.”

The new seed limit will take effect this Saturday, July 14.

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