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The Utah Highway Patrol saturated the state's freeways and highways with its cruisers over the Memorial Day weekend, but troopers remained frustrated with motorists' apparent reluctance to obey newly toughened seat belt laws.
One fatal accident on SR-24 in Wayne County (there were none during the same holiday period in 2014) and two critical injury accidents occurred over the extended weekend. In each case, seat belt use could have saved a life or lessened injuries, said UHP Sgt. Todd Royce.
"The way we look at it, we failed this weekend. If we had a death, we failed," Royce said Wednesday. "That's our gauge for success or failure — if there's serious injury or loss of life."
About 700 troopers patrolled this Memorial Day weekend, responding to 161 accidents. Troopers made 4,380 traffic stops (down from nearly 7,000 over 2014's holiday weekend), and issued 2,729 speeding tickets (down from almost 3,700 last year)
It was seat belt use — with the law now allowing stops and citations solely for that offense, compared to the previous statute that ruled out stops just for not using restraints — that was a major focus: 612 warning tickets or citations were issued this year, compared to 353 in 2014.
Troopers also stayed alert for signs of distracted or intoxicated drivers, arresting 55 motorists (about the same as last year's 56 DUI arrests).
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