SALT LAKE CITY — Utah drivers are somewhat familiar with the surprise of seeing something unexpected in a road lane before doing all they can to dodge dangerous debris.
"It's easy to lose your focus on the road when the car in front of you veers one way and you're veering another way," said Brent Woodruff.
The fear that follows is something many drivers like Woodruff know all too well, which is why he emailed FOX 13 News.
"I commute from the south end of the valley everyday on my drive in; I've started to see a lot of rocks and debris and garbage," he explained. "On days when the wind starts to blow, I start seeing boxes and clothes and cardboard just blowing all over the road in front of the cars."
The Utah Highway Patrol says that debris has become a factor in more crashes over the last several years, along with the volume of calls troopers are responding to around the state.
So far, in 2023, troopers have responded to 18,640 calls for road hazards, with road debris contributing to 420 crashes..
Woodruff wonders who to call when drivers seen debris on the road.
"If that road debris is in the traffic lanes, it's most likely going to be troopers that get that call," said Sgt. Cameron Roden with the Utah Highway Patrol. "If it's something that we can get over to the side of the road, then UDOT is in charge of that actual clean up.
"From talking with UDOT, it's something that can be very expensive."
The Utah Department of Transportation says it spends about $2.5 million each year to clear up dangerous road debris.
"We have a lot of methods to clear the debris, but it's easier if the debris isn't there in the first place, so that means tying down your cargo, and if you're transporting anything at all make sure it's secure," explained John Gleason with UDOT.
But the fact of the matter is there is debris on Utah roads, so it's important that drivers keep their eyes up.
"Driving is a full time job and we need to be looking well down the road, not just what's in front of our car," said Roden. "The sooner we can spot road debris or a road hazard, the more likely we are to be able to safely maneuver around that."
