UTAH, Dec. 20, 2020 (Gepahrdt Daily) — Utah Highway Patrol will be adding more than 80 speeding enforcement shifts this holiday season.
“This holiday season do your part in ensuring you make it to your loved ones,” said an Instagram post from UHP. “Speeding endangers everyone on the road. “Over the past five years in Utah there were 111 speed-related fatalities. Nationally in 2016, speeding killed 10,111 people, accounting for more than a quarter, 27%, of all traffic fatalities that year. We all know the frustrations of modern life and juggling a busy schedule, but speed limits are put in place to protect all road users.”
This year UHP has stopped and cited over 4,000 drivers for going over 100 mph, the post said.
“We have 82 extra enforcement shifts over the next few weeks in an effort to remind everyone, arriving safely is what matters,” the post said. “So please slow down and drive safely this holiday season.”
The consequences of speeding are far-ranging, the post said, and include:
- Greater potential for loss of vehicle control
- Reduced effectiveness of occupant protection equipment
- Increased stopping distance after the driver perceives a danger
- Increased degree of crash severity leading to more severe injuries
“There’s another element to speed crash data and even speeding citations, and it involves situations in which even the posted speed limit is too fast,” the post added. “That’s right — even the posted speed limit can be too fast. When can the speed limit be too fast? During inclement weather, traffic or areas in which road work is happening are some of the main situations in which people can drive too fast for conditions.”
Inclement weather is one the situations in which a lot of drivers can be traveling too fast for conditions, officials said.
“Speeding is more than just breaking the law,” the post said. “Speeding endangers not only the life of the speeder, but all of the people on the road around them, including other motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and law enforcement officers.”
