UHP rolls out blitz to curb 'alarming' rise in deadly crashes
This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah Highway Patrol troopers are going on a summer-long blitz to try to slow down an alarming rise in fatal crashes.
This time last year, the UHP handled 35 deaths on their roadways. This year, there have been 52, said UHP Col. Daniel Fuhr.
So between now and Labor Day, the UHP is putting more troopers on the highways to watch out for aggressive or distracted driving, as well as anyone not wearing a seat belt.
Of the 52 who have died this year, half of them were not wearing seat belts, Fuhr said.
"That's a rate we need to change," he said.
The state-wide blitz also includes added emphasis on patrolling on the weekends and in recreation areas like canyons, Fuhr said.
mmcfall@sltrib.com
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