UHP: 7 dead in 43 wrong-way crashes since start of 2022

TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — Since Jan. 1, there have been 43 wrong-way crashes on Utah roads.

The Utah Highway Patrol and Utah Department of Transportation addressed the rise in these often-deadly crashes following a weekend that saw four wrong-way crashes and three deaths.

So far this year, they say seven people have died in a wrong-way crash. That’s seven lives lost – families devastated in what troopers say are senseless tragedies – and it needs to stop.

The agencies laid out numbers from the last four years during a press conference on Monday.

In 2019, there were 313 wrong-way crashes. That number jumped to 340 in 2020.

In 2021, there were a total of 300 wrong-way crashes.

They say there’s been a 49% increase from last year to this year in the number of calls where troopers are sent out to investigate wrong-way drivers.

Troopers say the vast majority of people self-correct – meaning if they find themselves on the wrong side of the road, they recognize their mistake and quickly get off.

But those who aren’t so lucky can find themselves in a dangerous situation.

“I wish I could take all of you on scene; they’re brutal, they’re impactful, having to go do notifications to family members. It’s a horrible thing to have to do,” said Maj. Jeff Nigbur with the Utah Highway Patrol.

John Gleason, spokesperson for the Utah Department of Transportation, said they have 35 wrong-way detection cameras throughout the state. Once the notification comes into the traffic center, they alert drivers of a wrong-way driver and to slow down.

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“The unfortunate reality is a lot of times these crashes happen very fast and there’s not a lot of reaction time,” Gleason said.

Both these agencies understand this is a significant issue and they need to bring in outside help.

They are going to put together a task force to look at viable solutions – perhaps, look at what other states doing that could help the people here in Utah.

UDOT feels like they already go above and beyond with signage on exit ramps, alerting people who may be confused, but they’re willing to consider other ways to enhance safety.

The new task force will work at better tracking and mapping exactly where the wrong-way driver occurrences and crashes are happening in Utah, and then create an action plan to reduce them.

“I think everything’s on the table right now,” Gleason said. “Anything that we can do to enhance safety and reduce the number of wrong-way drivers — that’s definitely something that we’re going to look into.”

Gleason said possible safety enhancements include getting more of the thermal imaging detection cameras, adding LED-lights to “Do Not Enter” and “Wrong Way” signs, and using pavement markers to indicate the correct direction of travel.

UDOT and the Highway Patrol reminded that these prevention measures don’t address the issue of impaired drivers and pleaded with Utah drivers to make good decisions when getting behind the steering wheel.

“The bad part is the vast majority of the drivers that cause wrong-way fatal crashes are intoxicated, either on alcohol and/or drugs, and they are significantly intoxicated,” Nigbur said.