SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) announced it had investigated 22 total traffic deaths since the beginning of 2018.
Out of the 22 deaths, 18 were drivers or passengers, seven of which weren’t wearing a seatbelt. Four of the deaths were pedestrians.
In 2017, UHP responded to 33 total deaths in the same period.
94 percent of the fatal accidents this year were allegedly due to human choice or error.
“As you look at this weekly traffic fatality information, remember these aren’t just numbers,” said Colonel Michael Rapich with UHP. “They’re deaths, leaving emotional scars on many people, including the victim’s family and friends, others involved in the crash, and every trooper, emergency medical and incident management person who responded to the scene.
UHP announced that since Jan. 1, 54,938 vehicles were stopped. 55 percent of traffic stops were because of speeding, nine percent were for seat belt infractions, and 1.2 percent resulted in a DUI arrest.
The department also released a list of the top five leading causes of motor vehicle traffic deaths from 2012-2016:
“Every crash death has a huge impact on our society,” Rapich added.
