SALT LAKE CITY — There was a mix of good and bad news on Utah roads and highways over the recent holiday weekend as drivers appear to have learned some lessons and forgotten others.
While the Utah Highway Patrol reported no fatalities in its jurisdiction around the state, there was one death reported from a different agency. That number is down from five statewide fatalities last year and two in 2022.
Although deaths were down, UHP reported a surge in speeding tickets that were handed out, with 1880 citations being written for excessive speed in Utah over the weekend, up from 1779 just two years ago.
Troopers nabbed 53 DUI offenses during the holiday weekend, the same amount as 2023 and 14 more than in 2022.
One particular bright spot involved the 145 seat belt citations that were written this year, which were down tremendously from last year (234) and the year before (197).
This past weekend was the beginning of the period known as the 100 Deadliest Days during the summer when traffic fatalities normally double between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
