(PHOTO: South Salt Lake Police Department)
HERRIMAN, Utah — Ahead of a busy holiday travel weekend, Utah officials are encouraging you to “Summer Safely” with a list of summer driving safety tips.
The two state agencies behind the summer driving safety campaign consider Memorial Day weekend not just the unofficial start to summer, but also the beginning of the 100 deadliest days on Utah roads.
It’s a new safe driving campaign aimed at keeping travelers alert and aware of their surroundings throughout the summer months.
Officials say just under 95% of all crashed involve human error and many are easily avoidable. John Gleason, with the Utah Department of Transportation, adds that they typically see road fatalities double during the summer months compared to the rest of the year.
“More people out on the roads,” he said.
That should especially hold true this upcoming Memorial Day weekend.
“I think there’s a great anticipation and a lot of excitement about getting out there, spending time with family and friends and really enjoying our summer months here,” said Gleason.
Gleason says there are some simple reminders that every driver should be aware of before hitting the road.
Those include remaining focused, calm, alert and buckled while driving.
“We just want to reemphasize those steps that you need to take to get to where you’re going safely,” he said.
UDOT officials say the state averages around 100 road fatalities between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend. That roughly works out to one death per summer day.
A common issue with summer driving is the high number of distractions. From chatting with passengers to fixating on an upcoming trip, drivers often lose focus on the road.
“What we always need to remember to focus on is getting there safely,” said Gleason.