SALT LAKE CITY — People traveling on Utah roadways for the 4th of July weekend can expect to see plenty of fellow travelers and more Utah Highway Patrol troopers than usual.
Although road traffic has dipped below average in recent months due to COVID-19, the Utah Department of Transportation recommends avoiding these peak traffic areas during the indicated times:
· I-15 in Salt Lake County (northbound): Thursday from 3:30-5:30 p.m.
· I-15 in Salt Lake County (southbound): Thursday from 3:30-6:30 p.m.
· I-15 in Davis County (northbound): Thursday from 4:30-6:30 p.m.
· I-15 in Utah County (southbound): Thursday from 4:30-7 p.m.
Troopers, officers and deputies throughout the state will be working overtime to enforce seat belt use and to stop people driving while distracted or under the influence.
"We want people to be mindful, we are going to be out in force, we have 240 extra enforcement shifts specifically to target impaired drivers, set up state wide," said UHP Lt. Nick Street. "So if you think you can drink and get behind the wheel and get away with it law-enforcement are going to be actively looking for those individuals who make that really poor choice to get behind the wheel impaired.”
Lt. Street says speed is another huge concern. "I’m seeing a 25 percent increase over 2019 to date.”
That equates to 2,400 citations given to people stopped for driving more than 100 miles an hour.
