UHP urges drivers to prevent problems on holiday weekend
LEHI, Utah (KUTV) — Even though it’s a holiday, Memorial Day weekend is the start of a notoriously deadly time on the roads known as the “100 deadliest days.”
Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Colton Freckleton hopes all drivers will work to prevent that this weekend.
“On these weekends, there are usually several fatals throughout the state of Utah,” Freckleton told KUTV 2News. “It’s all because somebody wasn’t looking ahead of time and preparing for their drive, or they were doing something that was not safe.”
Patrolling I-15 on Friday morning, it didn’t take Freckleton long to find a problem. He pulled over a woman for not wearing a seat belt and gave her a warning.
Seat belts are a major focus for UHP over the holiday – but it’s not all.
“Weekends like this, it’s a catch-all,” Freckleton said. “Everything can be a major issue to all drivers on the road.”
That includes drunken driving, distracted driving, drowsy driving, and speeding.
Many people are traveling this Memorial Day weekend. KUTV 2News spoke to Heidi Christensen as she fueled up in Lehi.
She and her family are going camping in Wyoming despite gas prices that are much higher than the national average.
“It’s an eight-hour drive, but I work from home, and so my gas budget usually doesn’t get eaten up by commuting for work,” Christensen said. “I get to use it for travel.”
She’s looking forward to the trip.
“It’ll be nice to just get out and get away and go out in nature,” said Christensen.
No matter the destination, Freckleton said we all need to do much better on the roads.
“You’re not the only one on the road,” he said. “We all have families and kids that are in our vehicles, and we all want to return home safely.”
UHP also reminds drivers to check their tires and plan ahead for traffic.
