Summer has come and passed here in Utah. With fall coming, that means we are through what is known as Utah’s 100 Deadliest Days. Luckily, this year, the title is a little misleading. Each year our accident lawyers cover cases that occur during these days, and we are happy to see the number of fatalities dropped significantly in 2019.
Through the entirety of the 100 days, 64 lives were lost on the road.
Losing 64 innocent lives is still too many; however, in comparison to the last five years, 64 deaths is a 40 percent drop, something to take courage from. Additionally, 2012 sticks out as the lowest number of fatalities in recent years (68 fatalities), but 2019 has it beat. This significant drop is a great sign. However, just like the Utah Department of Traffic, our accident lawyers believe that zero fatalities is the only acceptable goal.
For those who may be new to Utah’s 100 Deadliest Days, here’s a rundown. Historically, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, Utah experiences the most fatalities compared to any other period throughout year. Over the last five years, Utah roads claimed nearly 100 lives each year during this devastating time:
- 2014 – 97 fatalities
- 2015 – 111 fatalities
- 2016 – 94 fatalities
- 2017 – 87 fatalities
- 2018 – 102 fatalities
Support from UDOT and Zero Fatalities
Thanks to the efforts of drivers and groups like the UDOT supported Zero Fatalities program, more and more people are trying to make roads safer. According to Jason Davis, an individual from UDOT engineering and operations, people are catching onto the safe-driving message. “With 94 percent of crashes being caused by human error…[people are] buckling up. They’re putting the phones down. They’re not driving aggressive, or distracted, or DUI” (Fox 13 News). Jason also believes that “We can eliminate those things (DUIs, aggressive and distracted driving), and then all of the sudden that zero fatalities is a real goal.”
For those individuals unfamiliar with Robert J. DeBry and Associates, we do what we can to help keep roads a safer place. In addition to writing up blogs like these about driving safety and tips, we also campaign with MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Drivers) and do everything we can to educate the drivers in Utah. Our accident lawyers not only want to protect the rights of those they cover in legal cases, but also the safety of all drivers on the road. 2019 will go down as a historically low year in terms of fatalities during the 100 Deadliest Days, but we hope the number continues to drop.
If you have been injured in an accident or know someone that has, contact our car accident lawyers for a free consultation. We have the experience needed to handle your case, and we genuinely want to help keep everyone safe on the roads.