The Idaho Transportation Department is conducting a preliminary testing program in North Idaho to assess the efficiency of increasing visibility on plows with the goal of reducing the number of accidents.
Green and yellow are among the most highly visible, detectable and recognizable colors on the color spectrum for the human eye, so the agency selected green and amber ultra-bright, LED lights for testing.
The lights are being tested to see if they produce enough illumination to shine through sprays of snow, slush and ice, warn motorists there is dangerous equipment ahead, and stand up to the abuse.
Several state transportation departments, counties and cities have successfully adopted green lights.
“Having uniformity between neighboring agencies is another big reason we are trying this out,” Fleet Operations Manager Ryan Crabtree said.
When accidents occur, the agency pays approximately $10,000 per incident in parts and labor to conduct repairs, and trucks are often out of service for extended periods of time.
The lights cost approximately $300 each for parts and the labor required to install them.
If the comprehensive pilot program is successful over the 2023-2024 winter, the agency likely will conduct another pilot program next year that would include more trucks statewide.