Spike of deadly crashes on Utah roads

Oct 2, 2024, 8:56 PM | Updated: 10:50 pm

SALT LAKE CITY — Right now Utah is seeing a spike in deadly crashes on the road. 31 deadly crashes since Labor Day, and 16 deaths just in the last week. State crash experts with Utah’s Zero Fatalities campaign believe it’s a trend drivers can reverse.

Deadly crashes, one after the other. A car hit by a train near Idaho, a head-on crash following a police chase in West Valley, or Wednesday morning a driver reportedly asleep at the wheel crashed into a parked car in Salt Lake City and slammed into a woman on the sidewalk.

“It must’ve been going rather fast because it pushed her car more than 20 feet up over the curb,”  Heather Diana, a friend of the car owner, said.

Alarming for neighbors who witness them and Utah’s Zero Fatalities campaign. 16 deaths in seven days have them extremely concerned.

“That’s 16 funerals they need to plan. Our families are missing someone at the dinner table tonight, our communities truly are hurting,” Jason Mettmann, Utah Highway Safety Office communications manager, said.

Mettmann said Utah’s good weather may have more drivers on the road, but the problem is bad behavior behind the wheel. He said the top factors for our recent deadly crashes — speeding, following too close, and not staying in the right lane — which are all 100% avoidable.

“We see this behavior out on the roads year after year, and impaired driving is a choice, speed is a choice, not driving alert is a choice,” Mettmann said.

They’re asking drivers to choose to slow down, put away distractions, drive alert, and look for people crossing the street. Those shaken up by our deadly crashes hope you do.

“It’s definitely given me second thoughts, this isn’t the first accident I’ve seen at this particular spot, people hitting parked cars,” Diana said.

State crash experts said the vast majority of these recent crashes are happening on clear, sunny days with dry roads. So just because conditions outside look good, they don’t want drivers to let their guard down.

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Spike of deadly crashes on Utah roads