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After accident, crosswalk sting in Midvale aims at educating drivers

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MIDVALE, Utah - A week after a teen was hit in a crosswalk in Midvale, Unified Police setup a crosswalk sting to educate drivers.

“We setup officers in dressed in plain clothes walking the streets, using the crosswalks properly and seeing if motorists would stop for them,” said Lt. Brian Lohrke.

In three hours, police issued 41 tickets to both drivers and pedestrians.

“We’ve had way too many auto-pedestrian crashes this last year,” said Lt. Lohrke.

Bailey Conway, the 17-year-old hit on January 24, is set to be released from the hospital on Wednesday. He survived a broken femur, collapsed lung and internal bleeding. Not everyone is so fortunate.

“We’ve had a lot of fatal crashes,' Lt. Lohrke said.

The problem is not limited to Midvale. Statewide statistics show 43 pedestrian deaths on Utah roads in 2017, up four from 2016 but down from 2015.

“It’s a multitude of reason why that number has gone up. Distracted driving but also pedestrians not crossing where they should be,” said Lt. Lohrke.

In Midvale, a plan is in the works to improve several crosswalks. The city council meets next on February 6th. Residents are encouraged to go to the meeting to give feedback on how money should be spent to make the improvements.