Rain Makes Mess of Utah Roadways, Sends Semis Off The Road
Aug 18, 2021, 8:59 PM | Updated: 9:04 pm
UTAH – Severe weather brought thunderstorms and heavy rainfall to most of the state, making for a mess on Utah’s roadways and sending a number of semis off the road Wednesday.
Statewide today the Utah Highway patrol responded to nearly 115 crashes.
Officials are still investigating what exactly caused this semi to lose control. It ended up hanging off the overpass from I-215 north heading onto I-80 west. Officials say the driver was able to safely get out.
The incident backed up traffic for more than two hours.
Around the same time, another semi to the west got swept downhill.
“Making the transition from I-80 to 215 west, going southbound here, he lost control,” said Utah Highway Patrol Sergeant Mark Thompson. “Ran off the side and obviously down the hill where he jack knifed that trailer.”
He says the truck also had an empty load, which could have added to the loss of control. The exact cause is unclear, but these occurrences are not unusual in the rain.
Earlier this month after another rainstorm, another semi was also caught hanging over the concrete barrier in the same area and these kinds of problems are not limited to the big guys.
“Anytime there’s inclement weather, whether it be moisture on the road from rain, or snow, or sleet, or anything like that, we always want to make sure we adjust our speeds appropriately to react to it,” said Sergeant Thompson.
State troopers see plenty of crashes and the weather seems to raise the stakes but it doesn’t have to.
“Driving slowly makes a big difference on a wet roadway,” said Sergeant Thompson.
State Troopers add that if you see them on the road, please move over, and give them some space to work.
