This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2010, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Fewer people died on Utah's roads in 2009 than the previous two years.
According to a preliminary tally, the Utah Department of Transportation reports 238 deaths last year. In 2008, there were 276 and in 2007 there were 299.
The agency attributes the drop primarily to driver education and a "Zero Fatalities" campaign focusing on driver safety.
UDOT's Scott Thompson says many of those who died in traffic wrecks in 2009 weren't wearing seat belts. State officials say nearly 40 percent of deadly accidents in 2008 were due to people not being belted in.
