SALT LAKE CITY — Zero Fatalities, in a partnership with the Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Department of Public Safety, is calling on drivers to stop justifying bad driving behaviors and start by making one small change to save lives on Utah roads.
With the launch of Zero Fatalities' "Our Lies Cost Lives" campaign, the organizations are urging drivers to drive alert, drive focused, drive calm, drive sober and drive buckled.
According to preliminary estimates from UDOT, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a 13 percent decrease in traffic on Utah roadways last year, but roadway fatalities increased by 11 percent when compared with 2019.
"We all need to choose to be safe on our roadways," said Carlos Braceras, UDOT Executive Director. "This is a place where we can make a difference. We can have zero fatalities on our roadways and one death is just unacceptable."
As of March 11, 46 people have died on Utah roads this year.
“The truth is we need to look at our own behavior and be better drivers,” DPS Commissioner Jess Anderson said in a news release. “We can no longer justify that one text, or not driving the speed limit. One decision can change everything. Let’s all start now.”
