RIGBY, ID — The Idaho Transportation Department is testing new snowplow lighting this winter in an effort to reduce crashes and improve visibility for crews and drivers across eastern Idaho.

ITD has outfitted select plow trucks with a series of upgraded lighting features, including higher-mounted over-cab strobes, sturdier wing-mounted lights, six rear lights that flash and alternate, and new reflective orange-and-yellow checkerboard striping on the back of each truck. The department is also introducing a green whip-style rod light that rises six inches above the wing plow — a feature that has reportedly shown success in other states.

“Yes, green means go, but it also gets your attention,” ITD Operations Manager Ty Winther said. “And ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do — what it’s all about, grabbing people’s attention.”

The trial equipment was selected and installed by ITD operators, mechanics, and welders. If the upgrades prove effective, the department expects to add the enhanced lighting package to newer snowplows statewide.

According to ITD, 17 snowplow strikes occurred during the 2023–24 winter season and 11 during 2024–25. Many of those incidents involved vehicles hitting the wing plow, which clears snow from both the travel lane and road shoulder simultaneously. Winther said every crash prompts the same question: how it might have been prevented.

Alongside the new lighting, ITD continues to urge drivers to follow basic winter safety practices — slow down, increase following distance, brake gradually, drive with headlights on, and limit distractions. Road condition updates are available on the Idaho 511 app and at 511.idaho.gov.