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Coco Warner Reporting If you're one of the nearly 300 thousand Utahns expected to hit the road this weekend, we have some tips you need to know before you go. With so many Utahns expected to drive in the next few days, the risk for traffic accidents is also on the rise.
The Fourth of July is historically Utah's deadliest holiday for motorists. There have already been several car accidents in the last few days. Travel experts attribute the fatalities to a number of reasons -- the skies are clear and the roads are dry and some drivers take the good conditions an invitation to speed.
"Hopefully, they're all heading north, so when we go south it's not so crowded."
This St. George woman is referring to the expected 290 thousand Utahns who will get in a car and drive at least 50 miles this weekend. That's an increase of three-percent from last year.
Andy Simper: "We're going down to Las Vegas. We're leaving tonight after work."
Rolayne Fairclough, AAA Utah: "I think that if people feel good about their personal economy, they take off and like to get out of town."
But all of those drivers on the road at the same time can lead to problems. AAA Utah is specifically warning drivers about driving drowsy.
Rolayne Fairclough: "Get enough sleep before they take off and then stop every two hours or 100 miles and get out walk around and just kind of break that cycle that you're in."
According to the Utah Safety Council, the majority of crashes are speed-related, but wearing your safety belt can increase you chance of survival by as much as 50 percent.
