Deputies target speeders in Provo Canyon

PROVO — Fifteen over, 25 over, even 40 miles per hour over — Utah County Sheriff's deputies found no limit to the speeding Friday as they stepped up efforts to slow down drivers in the middle of Utah's 100 Deadliest Days.

"Oh yeah, all day long—it was insane," Deputy Skyler Zobell said of all the speeding as he stopped cars near Canyon Glen Park. "I think the top speed we had was 94."

Provo Canyon was one of a few trouble spots in the county that deputies had targeted recently with speed enforcement operations.

Sgt. Spencer Cannon said the posted speed along U.S. Highway 189 in the canyon was 55 mph and deputies were only focusing on vehicles traveling at speeds greater than 15 miles per hour over the limit.

The hope, he said, was to reduce the potential for serious crashes.

"The higher the speed goes, the worse likelihood of serious injury," Cannon said. "We do know from statistics that speed is the leading contributor to fatal crashes."

Cannon said it was also possible that the enforcement effort could lead to slower speeds in the canyon in the near future.

"We'll have an impact here and word gets around that, 'Hey, the cops are working in Provo Canyon today' and that will last not just for today, but days beyond," Cannon said.

Cannon said between the operation in Provo Canyon and another one earlier Friday in Eagle Mountain, deputies and a Utah Highway Patrol trooper made 135 stops and issued 121 speeding citations.

On June 16, two other operations in Spanish Fork Canyon and Provo Canyon netted an additional 83 stops and 78 citations.

"It's pretty easy to go the speed limit in this canyon," Zobell shrugged.

Zobell said speeders posed a number of potential hazards through Provo Canyon and he and Cannon urged drivers to obey the speed limit.

"You're taking your life in your own hands every time you try to turn left, you know," Zobell said. "Even for us on the bike, getting out on people, it's scary."

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