Highway fatalities are down by a third in the first quarter of 2018 when compared to the same time period last year, according to data from the Utah Highway Patrol.
As of Tuesday, a total of 22 people had died on Utah highways in 2018. During the same time span last year, 33 people were killed on Utah freeways included in UHP’s jurisdiction, which is freeways, and state and federal highways.
While the drop may appear drastic, UHP Lt. Todd Royce said, last year’s fatality numbers were abnormally high at the beginning of the year. Statistics from this year reflect a more “normal” amount of fatal crashes, though, Royce noted, even “one fatality is too many.”
Four of the people who died in crashes so far this year on highways throughout the state were pedestrians. None thus far have died while riding motorcycles or bicycles on highways in UHP jurisdiction.
Of the 18 people who died while riding or driving in vehicles, seven had not been wearing seat belts, according to the UHP.
Human choice or error accounts for the cause of 94 percent of crashes, according to UHP.
Mariah is an Indiana native and a proud graduate of Utah State University. She joined The Salt Lake Tribune staff full-time in 2016 and mainly covers police, crime, courts and breaking news. She also speaks Spanish and covers Hispanic affairs.