UTA ski bus hits car parked illegally in Big Cottonwood Canyon

BIG COTTONWOOD CANYON, Utah — The Utah Transit Authority is putting out a warning after a ski bus crashed into a car parked illegally over the weekend.

The crash happened Saturday morning on the S-curve in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The car was too far into the road, over the white line, according to Carl Arky, spokesman for UTA.

“The cars were parked illegally,” Arky said. “They were over that white line, and there wasn’t enough room for the bus to get by and not enough room for him to move into the oncoming lane and veer over there because there’s just so much traffic up there on a weekend.”

A UTA ski bus hit a car parked illegally over the weekend. It was over the white line on the S-curve in Big Cottonwood Canyon. A skier on that bus calls it a good reminder to double check your parking job. Hear from her on @KSL5TV at 10 pic.twitter.com/hBbcGU6OBg

— Michael Locklear (@MichaelLocklear) January 24, 2023

Elsie Johsnon was a passenger on the bus, ready for a day of skiing.

“It was loud,” Johnson said. “It was just really loud and plastic and glass breaking and scraping for a good couple seconds.”

She called it “scary” and “frustrating.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt.

“The car was parked on the curve in a very dangerous spot, first of all,” Johnson said, “and then they were also over the line.”

Everyone on the bus waited about 90 minutes for police to arrive and investigate. Then, the bus was cleared to continue up the canyon.

It’s still in operation, Arky said, although the body needs some repair work.

“Our concern is we have enough room for our buses to get by,” Arky said. “Everybody wants to get up to the ski resorts and hit the slopes, so we’re asking everybody, please park legally.”

Johnson called it a “good reminder” for all drivers.

“Make sure you stay far away from that white line in the road,” she said.

Arky said the driver of the parked car and their insurance company will be responsible for the damage to the bus.