LEHI, Utah — A new law aimed at deterring road rage on Utah roads was passed earlier this year, with harsher penalties being handed down to those involved in road rage incidents.
The question now is, has it been effective?
"There’s a lot of angry people out on the road," said Maj. Jeff Nigbur with the Utah Highway Patrol.
Whether it's cutting someone off or brake-checking, Nigbur believes Utah drivers need to stop and think for a minute and act appropriately.
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On June 2, Cyndi Brown lost her brother-in-law, Michael, during a road rage incident in a Lehi neighborhood where the person following Brown was upset that he wasn't going fast enough. In response, Brown brake-checked the other vehicle before turning into a neighborhood.
The other driver, Jeffrey Williams, followed Brown and a fight ensued, with Michael being beaten and knocked to the ground as his two sons watched.
"They have vivid memories of that entire situation playing out and they don't understand why it happened," Cyndi said. "They don't understand why somebody didn't intervene.”
The jarring force of Brown's head and body falling to the pavement caused a brain stem injury. He was airlifted to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries the following day.
"You never think that your family member can be killed in such a violent, horrific, tragic way over something so minor as driving," said Cyndi.
To avoid further trauma for Michael's sons, his wife accepted a plea deal that resulted in a guilty plea for Williams in which the sentence was five years probation and no jail time.
The hardest part for Cyndi is knowing Williams' life might look different today if the road rage law went into effect just a few weeks earlier. The law increases driver's license sanctions, penalties and impoundments.
"You’re hurting somebody or intimidating somebody, you’re gonna go to jail,” Nigbur added.
With harsher penalties, Nigbur hopes people think for a second before "they lose minds and get so mad that they use a gun or a vehicle or use their fists to settle the difference if you will."
Cyndi applauds the new law but echoes her family in disappointment over it not applying to her brother-in-law's death.
Since the law went into effect, there have still been over 60 reported incidents of road rage in just five months. A trend that both law enforcement and impacted family members want to see change, especially when it seems that drivers are more on edge now than ever.
"We have to stop and think for a minute, it’s probably more likely an accident or non-intentional,” said Nigbur of most incidents.
"In every car that you pass is somebody's mother or sister, daughter, wife, aunt, friend, husband, brother, uncle," added Cyndi, "and when you allow your emotions to take control of your behavior, dire consequences can sometimes follow."
A GoFundMe has been started for the Brown family as they recover from their loss. You can find the page here.
