SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Highway Patrol officials said they are upset with the high number of fatal car crashes that have occurred over the last two weeks.
The “100 Deadliest Days” is the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which, historically, is a time when fatal crashes are more likely to occur than any other time of year.
According to the Utah Department of Transportation, the rate of fatal crashes in Utah doubled during the 100 Deadliest Days in 2015.
So far during the 100 Deadliest Days this year, 22 people have died in car crashes along Utah roadways. UHP Col. Daniel Fuhr spoke with local news media Tuesday morning about the Department of Public Safety’s increased enforcement for seat belt and speeding violations.
“Over the last month, I’ve stopped three cars for traveling well over 100 miles an hour on I-15 in the metropolitan area. It’s out of control, folks. We’re going to do everything we can to slow folks down. A hundred plus on I-15 is so dangerous. You have no idea,” Fuhr said.
Fuhr cited one example of a fatal crash that happened last week. In that crash, the victim was partially ejected out of the vehicle’s rear window because he was not wearing his seat belt. Fuhr said that same young man had been pulled over a few days before that and he was given a warning for not wearing his seat belt.
Fuhr told FOX 13 that troopers will be patrolling in motorcycles, marked cars and in unmarked cars, specifically looking for instances of speeding, aggressive driving and people who aren’t using seat belts.
