CANYON COUNTY, Idaho — A driver who struck an Idaho Department of Corrections work van on Interstate 84 near New Plymouth has been released from the hospital with only minor injuries, despite being ejected from their vehicle during the crash.
The collision occurred Tuesday afternoon when the driver's Toyota Tundra hit a parked IDOC work van while crews were cleaning trash along the roadside. According to police, the truck then veered across both lanes of traffic and rolled.
The driver was transported by air ambulance but remarkably suffered only minor injuries and has already returned home.
One person was inside the work van at the time of the accident, but none of the inmates or supervisors working at the scene were injured, according to IDOC officials.
Ironically, the crash happened during Work Zone Awareness Week, highlighting the dangers faced by highway workers.
IDOC officials said their crews receive training on work zone signage, which was displayed on the back of their trailer during Tuesday's operations. Workers also wear high-visibility safety vests and receive daily briefings on best practices.
The Ada County Highway District follows similar safety protocols, beginning with high-visibility vests and sweaters.
"Next, they're going to put up signs. They're going to say, you know, road crew ahead, road work here. Everyone's seeing those signs. They understand what's going on. For projects that are a little bit more out into the road, you'll usually see flaggers out there who will be directing traffic around that crew," said Tom Otte, Deputy Director of Operations at ACHD.
ACHD officials note that crews are most vulnerable to accidents during the initial setup of safety signage, emphasizing the importance for drivers to stay alert and watch for work crews on the road.
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