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SALT LAKE CITY — This weekend kicks off a travel period in Utah that carries with it the dubious distinction of "the 100 deadliest days" on the road. That's because the number of fatal crashes typically rises during the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
"That's when we'll see about a 35 percent increase in fatalities, over the next 100 days," said John Gleason, spokesman for the Utah Department of Transportation.
Out on the interstate, the holiday weekend has already started. Extra troopers are on the road, and they aim to keep the number of fatal crashes trending down.
"The worst part of my job is when you have to notify their family that a loved one has died," said UHP Trooper Nolan Kerr while patrolling I-15 in Salt Lake County.
Related:
100 Deadliest Days, and how you can help keep your teen safe
This month, Utah's new teen cell phone ban law went into effect, banning teen drivers from using their cell phones while driving. Coupled with the existing anti-texting law, this cell phone ban will provide a safer and more distraction-free environment for teen drivers. And it could not have come at a better time.Kerr said if we all had to see fatal crashes the way he does, it would change us.
"It definitely would impact the way (people) drive," he said.
Extra troopers will be on patrol this weekend, targeting areas where they have seen the most dangerous or deadly driving crashes in recent years. Kerr said they'll focus on buckling up, and look for drivers who are drowsy, distracted, aggressive or impaired.
"That's the kind of stuff that gets people killed," Kerr said.
So far this year, 53 people have died on Utah's roads. That represents a decrease from 74 deaths in 2011 at this time, and that trend follows a decline in traffic fatalities over the last dozen years in Utah.
"We're moving in the right direction on this, but each one of these fatalities is preventable," Gleason said.
Dangerous driving accelerates in the summer; Utah averages 96 fatalities during that period. Over the last five years, there have been 13 traffic deaths during the Memorial Day weekend.
Kerr pointed out that simple decisions can quickly prove fatal for the driver and others nearby.
"Their bad decision could affect our life dramatically," he said.
In addition to UHP's 300 extra shifts scheduled for this weekend, the Provo Police Department will be conducting a DUI/driver license checkpoint Friday.
Across the state, law enforcement wants to keep the roads safe.
