UDOT: If you've been in a fender bende..

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

If you're in a fender bender on the freeway, the Utah Department of Transportation urges you to get off the road if you can.

UDOT is encouraging drivers to pull off at the nearest exit instead of stopping on the freeway, as long as their vehicle can be driven. If a vehicle isn't drivable, a UDOT incident management vehicle will tow it off the freeway. This keeps troopers safe and cuts back on the potential for secondary accidents and the inevitable congestion, said Tania Mashburn, UDOT spokeswoman.

"For every minute of delay sitting on the side of the freeway, that equates to five minutes of backup," Mashburn said.

UDOT set up small yellow signs about a year ago on the side of the freeways telling drivers to move off the road, but with winter weather on the way, UDOT felt it was time to get the message out to anyone who has not noticed them, Mashburn said.

Michael McFall

UDOT: If you've been in a fender bender, pull off the freeway