Is It Illegal to Walk on the Side of The Road In Idaho?

Up a Road Without a Ride

When there's no sidewalk in sight & you're up a road without a ride, sometimes you have to walk your way there.

In Boise, it isn't uncommon to spot folks walking alongside State Street/44 between Glenwood and 55. Because the speed limit increases incrementally from 40 to 55 mph in that stretch of road, we worry for their safety. If you agree that's risky, what about the folks you spot walking on the shoulder on I84? Within valley limits, I84 is 65 mph.

Necessary or not, is walking alongside a busy road or highway illegal? According to 49-708 of the Idaho Legislature, no.

(2) Where a sidewalk is not available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk only on a shoulder, as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway. (3) Where neither a sidewalk nor a shoulder is available, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall walk as near as practicable to an outside edge of the roadway, and, if on a two-way highway, shall walk only on the left side of the highway.

As long as Idahoans exercise caution, care, and yield the right-of-way to motorists, they're in the compliance with the law.

Why are so Many Idahoans Walking Alongside Busy Roads?

In 2021, data from Forbes shows as many as 4.8% of Idaho households were carless. When you compare the average cost of a pre-owned car in Idaho at $37,092 to the state's median income of $54,785 in 2022, it makes sense that the Gem State would have a gap in its household-to-car ownership rate.

🚨The 7 Most Forgotten and Ignored Idaho Traffic Laws

🐎 Horses Need Turn Signals: 7 of Idaho's Strangest Traffic Laws

If you're new to Idaho, welcome!

Before you buckle up and hit the road, make sure you're aware of the Gem State's strangest road rules! From school bus concerns to how to handle horses in traffic, scroll for a list of helpful things to know behind the wheel in Idaho.

🚨 Can You Get Arrested for Driving Shoeless in Idaho?

🚘BOISE, Idaho. Logic and about 20 years of experience behind the wheel tells us driving sans footwear is a pretty risky, even reckless idea. But does that mean it's illegal?