Utah Law Enforcement Looking For Distracted Drivers

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nearly two dozen Utah law enforcement agencies teamed up to patrol highways and side roads as they looked for distracted drivers.

Most violators will likely be looking at their cell phones and those drivers are six times more likely than a drunk driver to cause an accident, officials with the Utah Highway Patrol said Thursday.

April was designated as Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

“There’s no problems until there is. And then when there is, it’s horrible. And bad things happen and destructive things happen and people get hurt violently. And we get to see that on a regular basis,” said Colonel Mike Rapich, Utah Highway Patrol.

Too many drivers have a habit of texting while driving. April is Distracted Driving Awarness Month, this issue is a huge problem nation wide that needs to stop!

If you are texting and driving then you are 6 TIMES more likely to cause an accident than a drunk driver. pic.twitter.com/YWrZNgfhQZ

— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) April 6, 2021

Rapich said that is why so many officers are putting in extra hours to stop distracted drivers with 127 shifts across 21 different agencies.

Drivers may not know when police are watching because many officers and spotters will load up in unmarked vans looking for offenders.

The operation runs through Monday morning.

We want to thank each department that assisted in the Distracted Driving Blitz today.
This enforcement project has been going all week long and will continue into the weekend, numbers will be posted Monday! pic.twitter.com/iugWzGAQA5

— Utah Highway Patrol (@UTHighwayPatrol) April 8, 2021