SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The 100 Deadliest Days of Summer have been particularly deadly in 2024.
Twelve people died on Utah’s roads in the week leading up to Pioneer Day, which the Utah Department of Public Safety and Department of Transportation said is the worst one-week total in almost two years.
“We all need to take responsibility behind the wheel to keep each other safe this summer,” said UDOT Director of Traffic and Safety Director Robert Miles. “One small decision can have fatal consequences.”
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Utah officials said they were hopeful going into this year’s 100 Deadliest Days – when traffic deaths tend to increase from the start of Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day. Year-over-year, deaths on Utah’s roads have been on a steady decline. In 2023, the Department of Public Safety reported only 81 deaths, down from an eight-year high of 105 in 2021.
So far in 2024, with 40 days left, there have been 56 deaths.
In a joint statement, UDOT and DPS said the top five crash attributes were motorcycle-involved, pedestrian-involved, older driver-involved, speed-related, and drug-related.
“Too many people on our roads are losing their lives because of actions that can be prevented,” said UHP Col. Michael Rapich. “Lives are lost when people choose to drive distracted, impaired, aggressive, drowsy, or unbuckled.”
Utah officials urged everyone to drive safely for the rest of the summer, especially during the holidays. Drivers are asked to stay alert, buckle up, and put away distractions to stay focused on the road.
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