FY 2027 Statewide Problem Identification 

Statewide Problem Identification 🖨️ Print This Section

Utah remains one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, with its population increasing by 17.5% since 2015 to its current 3,506,838. This rapid growth, concentrated primarily along the Wasatch Front (Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber counties), creates increasing traffic volume in urban areas. However, the state’s primary safety challenge is defined by a significant disparity between its urban and vast rural/frontier environment.

Utah is the 11th-largest state by area, and its transportation network consists of 49,504 miles of roadway (measured as the total length of the road, regardless of lanes). While local governments maintain the vast majority of this network (37,496 miles), UDOT manages the high-volume backbone, including 938 miles of Interstates and 4,975 miles of highways. The remaining 6,095 miles are largely managed by federal agencies on public lands. While nine out of ten Utahns live in an urban area, the risk of fatal crashes is disproportionately rural.

Overall, the population in Utah is White (75.7%), with Hispanic or Latino as the next largest population (16.9%).

Population Age Data Estimates:

• Persons ages 0-9 years 14%
• Persons ages 10-19 years 16%
• Persons ages 20-29 years 16%
• Persons ages 40-49 years 14%
• Persons ages 50-59 years 10%
• Persons ages 60-69 years 9%
• Persons ages 70-79 years 6%
• Persons ages 80+ years 3%

The Utah Driver License Division reports, as of November 2025, there were 2,579,518 licensed drivers (including those with learner's permits)

Licensed Driver Ages:

• Ages 15-19 9%
• Ages 20-29 21%
• Ages 30-39 18%
• Ages 40-49 17%
• Ages 50-59 13%
• Ages 60-69 11%
• Ages 70-79 8%
• Ages 80 and older 3%

Utah Tax Commission reports 2025 total registered motor vehicles by type:

• Motorcycles 91,768 (3%)
• Passenger Standard 1,093,534 (36%)
• Light Passenger Trucks (< or = 12,000 lbs) 1,728,482 (57%)
• Heavy Trucks (>12,000) 103,206 (3%)

Utah has 140 law enforcement agencies statewide, comprising 29 sheriffs’ offices and 91 local police departments. Additionally, Utah has 13 local health departments (LHDs), which are either single-county departments or multi-county districts. Utah has 62 hospitals, of which only 13 are designated as critical access rural hospitals.

The risk of a fatal crash is significantly higher on rural Utah roads

• Rural Risks: Rural counties account for only 17% of total crashes but suffer 40% of all fatalities.
• Fatal Crash Rate: The rural fatal crash rate is 1.07 per 100 million VMT, which is notably higher than the urban rate of 0.68.
• Hot Spots: The top five counties with the highest total fatalities are urban: Salt Lake (26%), Utah (12%), Weber (8%), Washington (6%), and Davis (5%). However, the highest fatality rate per VMT is seen in frontier counties, including Rich, Kane, Wasatch, San Juan, and Wayne.
• Time and Place: Crash volumes and severity shift significantly depending on day and time.
• The majority of crashes occur during commuting hours, between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., on weekdays.
• Conversely, the majority of fatal crashes occur in the evening on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
• The top contributing circumstances in fatal crashes include failing to keep in the proper lane (30%) and failing to yield right of way (15%).

This combination of rapid, urban population growth, high-risk driving behaviors, and disproportionately fatal rural crashes underscores Utah's ongoing challenge to achieve Zero Fatalities.

Problem Analysis: Increasing Severity and High-Risk Behaviors 🖨️ Print This Section

During the five years of 2020–2024, Utah experienced 1,483 total fatalities and 8,582 serious injury crashes. While overall fatalities have trended downward from 332 in 2021 to 277 in 2024, this progress is overshadowed by rising severity:

• Serious Injuries are Increasing: The number of serious injury crashes rose from 1,738 in 2021 to 1,925 in 2024.
• Motorcycle Fatalities are at a Record High: In 2023, there were 42 motorcycle fatalities, and 53 in 2024. Motorcycle deaths surged to a high of 70 in 2025, as of 12/17, marking an ongoing and severe challenge. Motorcycles account for only 3% of registered vehicles in Utah, but are overrepresented, accounting for 15.85% of total fatalities from 2020 to 2024.
• Speed-related fatalities spiked in 2020 to a high of 109, and have trended downward since 2021. However, speed remains the highest risk factor with 33% of fatalities and 32% of serious injury crashes from 2020 to 2024.
• Teen Driver-related crashes are the highest of all age groups. Nine percent of licensed drivers in Utah are teens, but they account for 21% of all crashes.
• Older drivers (65 years and older) represent 21% of total fatalities, 23% of serious injury crashes, and 14% of total crashes.

The majority of fatalities are attributable to the following primary behavioral risk factors* (% of total fatalities (2020-2024):

• Speed Related 33%
• Unrestrained Occupants 30%
• Impaired Driver Related 21%
• Older Driver Related 21%
• Motorcycle 16%
• Pedestrian 15%
• Teen Driver-Related 13%

Serious injury crashes are attributable to the following primary behavioral risk factors* (% of total serious injury crashes, 2020-2024):

• Speed Related 32%
• Teen Driver-Related 28%
• Older Driver Related 23%
• Unrestrained Occupants 20%
• Motorcycle 20%
• Distracted Driver Related 11%
• Pedestrian 10%

*A crash report often indicates several contributing risk factors. These factors are identified based on actions and behaviors observed immediately before or during the crash.

The top attributes for all crashes in 2020-2024 are Teen, Speed, and Older Driver.

• Teen Driver-Related 21%
• Speed Related 14%
• Older Driver Related 14%
• Distracted Driver Related 8%

While traffic safety risks are statewide, five urban counties - Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, and Washington represent the primary geographic clusters for high-risk factors such as speed, teen drivers, motorcyclists, and older drivers.

The Affected Population(s): Who is Overrepresented?

• Gender: Males represent 72% of all fatalities, despite comprising 51% of the population.
• Age Groups: The highest number of crashes occurs among the 20-29 age group (25% of all crashes). However, the most significant disparities exist among:
• Teen Driver-Related (Ages 13-19): Teen drivers represent 9% of licensed drivers but are involved in 21% of all crashes and 28% of serious injury crashes.
• Older Driver-Related (Age 65+): Older drivers are one of the state's fastest-growing age groups (67% growth between 2010 and 2020), which is reflected in their involvement in 23% of serious injury crashes. Out of all fatal crashes from 2020 to 2024, 20% involved older drivers.

Other Factors Affecting Crash Outcomes

Rail System:
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, during the last five years (2020-2024), there have been 73 crashes resulting in 10 fatalities and 29 injuries at highway-rail grade crossings in Utah.

Occupational Injuries & Traffic Crashes:
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Utah recorded 69 fatal occupational injuries in 2023. Transportation-related incidents were the leading cause, resulting in 31 fatalities (30 of which were males). The 55 to 64 age group experienced the most transportation fatalities (11 deaths), significantly affecting both wage/salary workers (21 deaths) and self-employed workers (10 deaths).

Rural EMS agencies face critical challenges that could delay life-saving care:
The availability and sustainability of Emergency Medical Services (EMS), especially in rural Utah, significantly impact crash outcomes, given that 40% of all fatalities occur on rural roads.

• Longer Response Times: While national data indicates rural response times (14.5 minutes) are nearly double urban averages, the burden in Utah is best understood through total transport time. According to the Utah Rural EMS White Paper, the time from incident to hospital arrival increases significantly based on geography:
  • Urban Counties: 35.2 minutes
  • Rural Counties: 43.9 minutes
  • Frontier Counties: 60.8 minutes
• Workforce Challenges: Many rural EMS services depend heavily on volunteers and part-time staff. Recruiting and retaining this workforce is difficult due to low population density and high demands. Strategic investment in training is a critical lever for personnel retention. For rural volunteers, the "cost" of service is not just time, but the personal financial burden of maintaining high-level certifications. Rural agencies face a high "cost of readiness," the expense of maintaining equipment and staff regardless of call volume.
• Air Medical Transports, tracked via systems such as EMResource by Juvare, are crucial for rapidly dispatching air ambulance assets to severely injured crash victims from rural scenes or critical access hospitals to appropriate trauma centers. Utah has 62 hospitals, of which only 13 are designated as critical access rural hospitals.

The disparity in the EMS system directly contributes to the high fatality rates on rural roadways, underscoring the need for targeted strategies to improve response times and sustain rural EMS agencies.

Program Administration and Support 🖨️ Print This Section

The effective administration and support of Utah's highway safety initiatives are grounded in a continuous, data-driven approach. The Utah Highway Safety Office (UHSO) manages the critical process of analyzing state and national crash data to identify emerging trends and problem areas. This foundational problem identification is essential for the strategic planning and equitable administration of federal and state funds. The central administrative challenge is to ensure optimal resource allocation, deploying monies both effectively and efficiently to achieve the overarching goal of reducing fatal crashes. All administrative and planning resources are therefore dedicated to the overall management and execution of the State’s highway safety programs.

The UHSO is one of the smallest divisions within the Utah Department of Public Safety, with a staff of only 15 full-time personnel. Despite its small size, the office is structured to be self-contained and self-sufficient, with each team member assigned specific program areas and responsibilities. This structure is critical for the efficient and effective development and implementation of the State’s Highway Safety Plan and Application. The administrative team is distributed across numerous, high-impact focus areas, including five senior program managers overseeing major programs (Occupant Protection, Impaired Driving, Traffic Records, Law Enforcement Programs (LEL), and Communications), and six program coordinators managing an additional array of specialized areas (e.g., police traffic services, distracted driving, vulnerable roadway users, child passenger safety, and rural outreach). This compact organizational size, coupled with the extremely broad scope of responsibilities, underscores the critical need for administrative efficiency and precise targeting of resources to prevent dilution of effort across too many fronts. The UHSO further supports the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), a fiscal analyst, and a support services coordinator.

Community Traffic Safety Programs 🖨️ Print This Section

Community traffic safety programs are vital for enhancing local engagement and education, particularly in Utah, where certain populations and geographic areas are challenging for the Highway Safety Office (HSO) to reach directly. Given its limited staffing, the HSO's operational strategy is built upon utilizing a broad coalition of partners. This network includes approximately 129 law enforcement agencies, 10 hospitals, 13 local health departments, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, businesses, educational institutions, the Utah Department of Transportation, and other key stakeholders. Through these community outreach efforts, the HSO provides essential public information and education. Furthermore, the HSO and its partners analyze state and national crash data to identify critical problem areas and emerging trends, leading to the implementation of targeted projects designed to address these identified challenges.

The state of Utah consists of 29 counties, with 6 urban and 23 rural, according to 2021 US Census population data. There are 3,658 miles of state highways in Utah, comprising 327 roads that cross all 29 counties of the State.

Utah's population exceeded 3.5 million as of July 1, 2025, according to the University of Utah’s Gardner Institute. This reflects a continued moderation in growth, with 44,351 new residents added since 2024. The key drivers of this growth were natural growth, which accounted for the majority of new Utahns (57%), and net migration, contributing the remaining 43%. Overall, Utah's population is White (75.7%), with Hispanic or Latino as the second-largest group (16.9%).

Between the years of 2020-2024, Utah experienced:

• A total of 291,478 motor vehicle crashes resulted in 8,582 serious injuries and 1,483 lives lost. On average, that is 58,296 crashes per year, resulting in 270 fatalities.
• Of the 1,483 people who lost their lives as a result of a crash; 49% were drivers, 18% were passengers, 15% were motorcyclists, 14% were pedestrians, 3% were bicyclists, and 1% were scooter/skater.
• Speed was the contributing factor for 32% of all fatalities and accounted for 13.8% of all crashes
• Unrestrained occupants accounted for 28% of all occupant deaths
• Teenage driver-related crashes are highest for all age groups, representing 9% of licensed drivers, but account for 21% of all crashes and 28% of serious injury crashes
• Older driver-related crashes represent 23% of serious injury crashes and 20% of fatal crashes
• Motorcycles account for 3% of of registered vehicles in Utah, but are overrepresented, accounting for 15.85% of total fatalities in the five years
• Transportation incidents were the largest cause of fatalities (36%) among fatal occupational injuries (Utah Labor Commission, Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• Of the 291,478 crashes over the five years, 15% or 44,237 crashes occurred on rural roadways.
• A total of 73 crashes resulting in 10 fatalities and 29 injuries occurred at highway-rail grade crossings over the five years.

To find specific data for a particular traffic safety issue, please refer to the corresponding problem ID for that program area.

Occupant Protection 🖨️ Print This Section

Proper occupant protection in a vehicle, including the correct use of seat belts, car seats, and airbags, is vital to safety. These safety measures are crucial for preventing fatalities and injuries and for reducing injury severity during a crash. Furthermore, Utah law requires that every vehicle occupant use the appropriate restraints and safety devices in all seating positions. Yet over 360,000 Utahns still choose to ride unrestrained.

The lack of restraint among vehicle occupants is a significant factor in fatal crashes. Despite making up only 0.09% of all occupants in crashes between 2020 and 2024, unrestrained occupants accounted for 28% of all occupant deaths. This makes not wearing a seat belt the third-leading cause of fatal crashes. In Utah alone, an estimated 354 lives might have been saved over the last five years if every occupant had used a seat belt.

• There were 10,171 unrestrained occupants in crashes
• 3,690 injured unrestrained occupants
• 589 unrestrained children (age 0-12)

Utah Observational Surveys of Seat Belt Use, 2021-2025

• Utah’s average seat belt use rate over the last 5 years is 90.5%
• Males in pickup trucks had the lowest seat belt usage rate at approximately 83% for both drivers and passengers
  • Note that pickup trucks make up the largest percentage of registered vehicles in the state, at 57%
• Females in SUVs and vans had the highest average seat belt use at 94%.
• Urban seat belt use tends to be higher than rural, though rural seat belt use surpassed urban use by 0.01% in 2025.
• Utah’s use rate dropped in 2025 to 89.6%, down from 90.7% in 2024 and the high of 92.4% in 2023.

Time of Day

Seat belt use is lower during the late-night hours. Data shows that restraint use in crashes is lowest between midnight and 4:59 a.m., with 25% of occupants being unbuckled. This supports the need for nighttime seat belt enforcement and is part of the HVE plan.

At-Risk Audiences

• Crash percentages: The majority of unrestrained drivers and passengers were 13-39 years old
• Fatalities:
  • 69% of all unrestrained fatalities were male
  • 38% of teenage fatalities were unrestrained
  • Young drivers are especially at risk; 28% of motor vehicle occupants killed or severely injured were ages 15-29. Tragically, only 48% of them were buckled up.
  • Older Drivers are also at risk; 15% of motor vehicle occupants killed or severely injured were aged 65 and older. Tragically, only 55% of them were buckled up.
• Hispanic/Latino:
  • Utah’s population has grown to 3,506,838, with White residents making up the largest group at 75.7% and Hispanic or Latino residents making up the second largest group at 16.9%.
  • The counties in Utah with the highest Hispanic population are Utah, Salt Lake, and Weber.
  • Overall, the data indicate that between 2020 and 2024, 54% of the Hispanic occupant fatalities were unrestrained compared to non-Hispanic ethnicities.
  • Hispanic motorists ages 15-29 had the highest number of deaths, and more than half were male.

Child Passengers

• From 2020-2024, 36.9% of children 8 or younger involved in crashes were not properly restrained in a child safety seat. There were 24 children aged 8 or younger killed in Utah crashes.
• Despite state law requiring restraint use for all children in crashes, the rate of unrestrained children increases significantly with age: 86.9% of children under 1 year old were restrained, 79.3% of children aged 2–4 were restrained, and only 38.8% of children aged 5–8 were restrained.
• According to the National Digital Checkpoint Form (NDCF) data, Utah’s misuse rate is 67.5% (Note: Only 2025 data is currently available due to the recent implementation of the NDCF)
  • The most significant issue identified was the tether, which was not being used at all.
  • Of the 4,063 seat checks recorded, the majority focused on the youngest children, with 73% in rear-facing seats and 54% in infant seats. Conversely, seat checks were much less frequent for older children, accounting for only 19.5% of forward-facing seats and a mere 7% of booster seats. This data suggests that the public is more likely to seek assistance for the correct installation and use of car seats for younger children than for older children.
• Car seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71% among infants and 54% among children ages 1 to 4. (NHTSA Research Note 96855)
• Using a booster seat decreases the risk of nonfatal injuries by 45% among children ages 4 to 8 compared with using a seat belt alone. (Pediatrics 2009)
• In 2023, based on known restraint use, 64 percent of the children who died while riding with unrestrained passenger vehicle drivers were also unrestrained. (NHTSA 2023 Children Traffic Safety Facts)

Rural Communities

• 55% of unrestrained fatalities occurred in rural areas.
• Urban counties, including Cache, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, Washington, and Weber, account for 45% of unrestrained occupant fatalities.

Teen Driving 🖨️ Print This Section

Inexperienced teenage drivers present a high crash risk due to developmental and behavioral factors, a risk that supportive parental monitoring can significantly mitigate and reduce crash rates by up to 50%. The escalating, disproportionate risk faced by Utah's teen drivers, evidenced by rising crash statistics and fatalities, demands immediate intervention to save young lives.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) show that teens are at an increased risk of being involved in a vehicle crash:

• Teen drivers account for a disproportionate number of crashes in Utah; they make up only 9% of licensed drivers but are involved in 21% of all crashes and 28% of serious injury crashes.
• Teen driver-involved crashes have resulted in a significant number of injuries, totaling 28,933.
• Teen driver-involved crashes contribute substantially to Utah's road fatalities, accounting for 11.7% of all motor vehicle crash deaths and 7% of all Utah driver fatalities.
• 1,483 people lost their lives on Utah roads. 193 of those people lost their lives in teen driver-involved crashes, including 68 fatally injured teen drivers and 99 fatally injured teenagers total.
• Being a teen driver is the top attributable factor in 21% of all crashes in Utah.

Not all teen fatalities in traffic crashes are due to a teen driver behind the wheel. In total, 143 teens lost their lives in traffic crashes in Utah over the last five years, either as a driver, passenger, on a motorcycle, bicycle, or as a pedestrian. Of that number, the majority were male, and the crash most often occurred on weekends in urban areas.

The increasing loss of young lives on Utah's roads due to poor traffic safety habits and inexperience is a devastating trend. For example, the number of teens fatally lost in traffic incidents in Utah surged alarmingly from 18 in 2024 to 31 in 2025. This 70% increase in just one year is a preventable tragedy that shatters families and futures.

Impaired Driving 🖨️ Print This Section

The use of alcohol or impairing drugs severely compromises a driver's ability to react quickly and make sound decisions. As Utah’s population has grown to more than 3.5 million residents, providing targeted resources and education to at-risk groups and communities remains a critical priority. This mission is reinforced by the fact that while Utah typically reports fewer impaired driving incidents than the national average, these crashes remain one of the top three contributing factors for road fatalities, accounting for 21% of all traffic deaths between 2020 and 2024.

Addressing the challenge of impaired driving is complicated by the rise of poly-substance use, the combination of alcohol and various drugs, making detection and prosecution much harder. Unlike alcohol, hundreds of different drugs and metabolites lack a standard measurement like a BAC limit. Without a consistent flow of accurate toxicology data and specialized training for law enforcement, it is difficult to identify substances, drug trends, or prove impairment in court.

If High-Visibility Enforcement is not paired with strong media campaigns, the perceived risk of arrest remains low, which encourages recidivism. Additionally, true deterrence requires holding both individuals and establishments accountable to reduce over-service and illegal sales to minors. The absence of these investigative, educational, and enforcement resources creates critical gaps that leave Utah’s roadways and communities vulnerable to the ongoing dangers of impaired driving.

Impaired Driving Crash and Fatality Data (FY 2020-2024)

• Males aged 21–39 represent the primary at-risk group for impaired driving, accounting for 66% of alcohol and drug-related crashes and 74% of total fatalities.
• Crash data from 2020-2024 shows that Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber Counties have the highest rates of alcohol-related crashes, while Utah, Salt Lake, and Washington Counties have the highest rates of drug-related crashes.
• The highest rates of alcohol and drug-related fatal crashes occur in Salt Lake and Utah Counties.
• Alcohol-related crashes occur year-round, but peak in January and between July and December.
• Impaired-related crashes occur most frequently, Friday through Sunday, primarily between 5:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m.
• Between 2020 and 2024, approximately 14% of alcohol-related crashes involved a driver under the age of 21.
• The five-year period saw alcohol-related crashes account for 811 possible injury crashes, 775 confirmed injury crashes, and 2,557 property damage-only crashes.
• From 2020 to 2024, 303 drivers were involved in wrong-way crashes, resulting in 72 impaired drivers, for a total of 23.76% of impaired wrong-way drivers.

DUI Arrest Data* (SFY 2020-2024)

• The total number of DUI arrests in the state over the last five years has remained relatively consistent, with notable increases in 2023 and 2024: 11,246 in 2023 and 11440 in 2024.
• DUI arrests increased by 8% between 2020 and 2024, rising from 10,532 to 11,440.
• Males account for 73% of DUI arrests based on 2020-2024 data, with 36% of arrestees falling between the ages of 25 and 36.
• On average, 11% of all DUI arrests between 2020 and 2024 involved individuals under the age of 21.
• The Wasatch Front (Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties) accounted for 68% of all DUI arrests between 2020 and 2024, representing the highest number of arrests; however, rural areas show a higher arrest rate relative to their population (32% of arrests vs. 25% of residents).
• On average, approximately 72% of DUI arrests (2020-2024) were first-time offenders. However, the data reveal a high prevalence of recidivism, with 18% having one prior arrest and 10% having two or more.
• Between 2020 and 2024, the average BAC in DUI arrests was .15 (three times the legal limit).
• The state continues to face a challenge with incomplete DUI data. 32% of DUI arrests lacked a reported Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) result. This discrepancy may be due to blood test results not being received by the Driver License Division or the arrest being DUI/drug-related with no measurable BAC. The lack of consistent, accurate toxicology data hinders the state's ability to track DUI arrest data and emerging drug trends.

Challenges and Trends

• Utah’s population has grown to 3,506,838, with White residents making up the largest group at 75.7% and Hispanic or Latino residents making up the second largest group at 16.9%. In March 2020, Utah’s full medical cannabis program officially began, allowing patients with qualifying conditions to get medical cannabis cards. Additionally, Utah is surrounded by states with various levels of legalization.
• Impaired driving shows a prevalence of poly-substance use, which creates significant obstacles for law enforcement and toxicology professionals tasked with identifying impairment across hundreds of different drugs and metabolites.
• The lack of equipment and software for DRE evaluations and reporting has created an operational gap, made more urgent by the March 2026 deadline, when the national DRE record database is scheduled to close.
• While alcohol sales to minors have declined over time, the past two years show a 5.6% sales rate, which underscores the need for prevention initiatives. These figures suggest that while progress is being made, targeted efforts remain essential to further curb underage alcohol purchases.
• Utah has averaged 13 TRACE (Target Responsibility for Alcohol Connected Emergencies) investigations annually over the past five years, with a slight increase to 14 in 2024. These investigations are critical for tracing the source of alcohol in serious or fatal impaired-driving incidents, ensuring that negligent providers, not just drivers, are held accountable.
• Between 2020 and 2024, Utah’s court systems processed, on average, over 10,000 DUI-related cases annually. Justice Courts had a 79% guilty rate, and District Courts had an 81% guilty rate. This suggests a need for additional training for officers to improve case preparation and prosecution effectiveness.

*Note that when referring to data in this section, alcohol-related fatal crashes and fatalities include only those incidents where at least one of the drivers tested positive for alcohol and had a BAC of > .05; alcohol-related crashes include incidents where a positive alcohol test has been confirmed for any level of alcohol; drug-related crashes and fatalities include the number of crashes resulting from one or more drivers who had a positive drug test. Drug presence does not necessarily imply impairment. For many drug types, drug presence can be detected long after any impairment that might affect driving has passed.

Drowsy Driving 🖨️ Print This Section

Drowsy driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by fatigue, sleepiness, or exhaustion. Drowsiness decreases situational awareness, slows reaction times, and impairs decision-making. According to CDC data, the physiological effects of sleep deprivation closely mirror alcohol impairment. Being awake for over 18 hours produces the same cognitive decline as a 0.05% BAC, while 24 hours of wakefulness elevates that impairment to 0.10%, twice Utah’s BAC limit.

Between 2020 and 2024, approximately 2.1% of Utah’s traffic fatalities were attributed to drowsy driving. Although this percentage appears low, it likely underestimates the true scope of the problem. Identifying drowsiness or fatigue and determining its role in a crash is a significant challenge for law enforcement, as there is no roadside test to confirm a driver’s fatigue level.

Drowsy Driving Crash and Fatality Data (2020-2024)

• There were 4,879 crashes involving drowsy drivers.
• There were 29 fatal drowsy driving crashes resulting in 31 fatalities.
• Drowsy driving crashes accounted for 2.1% of all fatal crashes.
• Drowsy driving crashes were highest among drivers aged 13-20 years (25%)
• Fatal crashes were more common among males (83% of drowsy drivers)
• Thursday through Sunday had the highest number of drowsy-driving crashes.
• June through October had the highest total drowsy driving crashes, while September and October had the most deaths involving drowsy drivers.
• Drowsy driving crashes were highest during the hours of 5:00 – 8:00 a.m. and 3:00-5:00 p.m.
• Fatal crashes were highest in Tooele, Salt Lake, and Utah Counties, while total crashes were highest in Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber Counties.
• Over 56% of drowsy driver crashes were caused by drivers failing to keep in their proper lane.

Vulnerable Roadway Users Programs (VRU) 🖨️ Print This Section

Pedestrian - VRU

While Utahns choose between various modes of transportation each day, such as driving, riding as a passenger, bicycling, riding a motorcycle, or taking public transportation, almost everyone walks at some point in their lives. Although pedestrians are involved in only 1.15% of all traffic crashes, they are an overrepresented 16% of road fatalities. Five-year data between 2020 and 2024 shows that 4,477 pedestrians were involved in crashes, 219 of whom lost their lives.

Demographic data reveal that 43% of pedestrians in these incidents are 24 or younger, with males accounting for 63% of the total. Among the drivers involved, 22% are under 25, while 52% are male. These crashes peak between September and November, and typically occur in urban areas like Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, and Weber counties, typically between 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

Both drivers and pedestrians share a responsibility in preventing pedestrian fatalities. For pedestrians, the primary risks are failing to yield or improper crossing; for drivers, speed and failure to yield are the leading factors in fatalities. Drivers were at fault in over half of these crashes, with 44% driving straight ahead, 21% turning left, and 22% turning right. Additionally, 24% of pedestrians killed between 2020 and 2024 had a BAC of 0.05 or higher.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for pedestrian crashes and fatal crashes showed that:

• Pedestrians involved in crashes are 11 times more likely to be killed in a crash than in all other types of crashes.
• Almost 5% of pedestrians involved in crashes were fatally injured
• Tuesday was the deadliest day of the week, with 754 of the 4477 pedestrian-involved crashes
• The 13-20 age group had the highest rate of pedestrian crashes, both as drivers and pedestrians.

Bike - VRU

As more Utahns adopt bicycling for fitness and commuting, bicycle presence on roadways has grown. While the total number of fatalities remains relatively low, the injury rate is high. Data from 2020–2024 shows that of the 2,575 bicyclists involved in motor vehicle crashes, 92% (2,358) sustained injuries, and 45 lost their lives.

The data highlights a clear trend: 58% of involved cyclists are under 35, with a significant portion (34%) under 20. Men account for 78% of these cyclists. Regarding motorists, 40% are under age 34, with a nearly even split between male (51%) and female (40%) drivers.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for bicycle-related crashes and fatal crashes showed that:

• Incidents peak from May to October and are more frequent on weekdays between 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm.
• 88% of crashes are concentrated in Utah's six most populous counties (Salt Lake, Utah, Weber, Davis, Cache, and Washington).
• Interestingly, 94% of crashes occur on roads with speed limits of 45 mph or higher, and 40% take place at 4-way intersections.
• The most frequent driver actions leading to a crash are turning right (36%), traveling straight (33%), and turning left (17%).

Motorcycle - VRU

As motorcycling grows in popularity across Utah, the associated risks have become a critical public safety focus. Between 2005 and 2025, the number of registered motorcycles in the state more than doubled from 43,271 in 2005 to 91,786 in 2025. These vehicles remain significantly overrepresented in fatal accidents. Despite making up only 3% of registered vehicles, motorcycles accounted for nearly 16% of Utah’s road fatalities from 2020 to 2024.

A significant portion of fatal crashes involve riders who lack a formal motorcycle license endorsement or have not completed a certified safety course, suggesting that experience and formal training are as vital as physical protection.

Between 2020 and 2024, there were 5,887 crashes, which resulted in 229 motorcycle-related fatalities. 87% of those fatalities were males, and 69% of the motorcyclists in crashes were younger than 35 years. These crashes occur mostly during warmer weather; 86% occur between April and October.

According to 2020-2024 crash data on motorcycle-related crashes, 56% of motorcycle crashes involve another motor vehicle, often when a driver fails to yield the right-of-way or makes an improper turn. For the motorcyclist, the leading causes of crashes include following too closely, lane departures, and excessive speed.

And finally, crashes and fatalities tend to be higher in urban areas of Utah, with the vast majority of crashes occurring in Salt Lake County, with the highest city count in Ogden. Overall, there were 41 fatalities in Salt Lake, Utah, Weber, Washington & Davis counties combined in 2024, which accounts for 77% of all motorcycle fatalities.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for motorcycle-related crashes and fatal crashes showed that

• Deaths rose from 42 in 2023 to 53 in 2024, reaching a record high of 70 by late 2025.
• While Utah law mandates helmets for riders under 21, only 62% of operators and 56% of passengers involved in crashes were wearing them, regardless of age.
• Unhelmeted riders are 1.78 times more likely to suffer fatal injuries.
• The majority of fatalities (87%) are male, and 69% of motorcyclists involved in crashes are under the age of 35.

Older Driver - VRU

As Utah’s population ages, the safety of the "active aging" community, defined as those 65 and older, has become an increasing concern. Currently, older adults make up 11.4% of Utah’s population, a figure expected to rise significantly, as the U.S. Census projects that by 2034, older adults will outnumber children for the first time in history. While nationwide statistics show that older adults represent 17% of traffic fatalities, Utah’s figures are slightly higher, with 20.6% of state road deaths occurring within this age group between 2020 and 2024.

Research from the IIHS indicates that the risk of a fatal crash begins to climb significantly between ages 70 and 74, reaching its peak for drivers 85 and older. This trend is not necessarily due to an increased frequency of crashes, but rather an increased physical susceptibility to injury (particularly chest trauma), and subsequent medical complications. Addressing these risks requires a focused look at Utah’s "five deadly behaviors."

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for older driver-related crashes and fatal crashes showed that:

• 306 older adult driver-related fatalities (21% of total crashes) and 20,189 injuries across 40,459 total incidents.
• 76% of these incidents occurred during clear weather, suggesting that visibility and road conditions are rarely the primary cause.
• Most injuries occur between 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM, aligning with peak daily traffic volumes.
• Failing to yield the right of way was the leading cause of crashes, accounting for 15.4% of incidents.
• Fatalities were most concentrated in Salt Lake, Utah, and Washington counties, while overall crash volume was highest in Salt Lake, Utah, and Davis counties.

For example, the Trauma Program at University of Utah Health has treated 290 patients who were 65 and older for injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision over the past five years. Of those, there have been 22 fatalities treated at the facility. On average, those patients had an ISS score of 14.6, which indicates severe injuries. Of those with arrival times recorded in the database (70% of the data do not include this information), 8% of those treated had their crashes occur during peak hours (3 p.m. to 7 p.m.), and only 9 were treated for an isolated injury. Head, neck, spine, and chest injuries continue to be high and are usually associated with higher mortality. Notably, the number of older adults treated at this hospital is increasing each year.

Police Traffic Services 🖨️ Print This Section

Speeding, road rage, aggressive driving, distracted driving, and a lack of driver awareness around stopped emergency vehicles remain significant contributors to serious injuries and fatalities on Utah roadways. Despite ongoing prevention efforts, these high-risk behaviors persist across urban, suburban, and rural areas, increasing the risk to motorists, pedestrians, cyclists, and law enforcement officers. Data trends indicate that these behaviors often overlap, compounding their impact and increasing the likelihood of fatal and serious injury crashes.

Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach that integrates targeted law enforcement, specialized training, and public education. Utilizing the Multi-Agency Task Force (MATF) group and Regional Law Enforcement Liaisons provides agencies with opportunities to focus on traffic safety through the practical application of enforcement strategies, training, and coordinated education and media resources. These efforts also support collaboration among agencies that may not routinely work together but face similar traffic safety challenges.

Many law enforcement agencies lack sufficient funding to acquire specialized speed enforcement equipment, including speed and radar trailers, in-car radar systems, and handheld LIDAR devices. Support from the Highway Safety Office enables agencies to obtain this equipment, strengthening their capacity to enforce speed-related laws and educate motorists during traffic stops.

Speeding, Road Rage, Aggressive Driving

Speeding, road rage, aggressive driving, and roadside crashes involving emergency vehicles continue to be significant traffic safety concerns impacting roadway safety across the state. Data from crash reports, law enforcement observations, and public complaints indicate that excessive speed and aggressive driving behaviors—such as tailgating, unsafe lane changes, and confrontational actions—are contributing to serious and fatal crashes. These behaviors increase crash severity, reduce reaction time, and create unpredictable conditions for all road users, including pedestrians and bicyclists. Addressing this problem is critical, as aggressive driving and speeding not only endanger drivers and passengers but also strain emergency response resources and undermine overall traffic safety efforts statewide

Speeding is among the leading unsafe behaviors contributing to deaths on Utah’s roadways and nationally. Utah crash data between the years 2020-2024 shows that 32% of Utah’s fatal crashes were speed-related, resulting in 33% speed-related fatalities. Urban counties, including Salt Lake, Utah, Davis, Weber, Box Elder, and Washington, had the highest total number of speed-related crashes. Salt Lake, Utah, Weber, Washington, and Davis Counties had the highest fatality rates for speed-related crashes.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for speed-related crashes report:

• A total of 40,453 speed-related crashes occurred on Utah roadways, resulting in 14,299 injury crashes and 434 fatal crashes
• Teenage drivers account for 22% of the total speed-related crashes
• A total of 3,899 Road Rage/Aggressive Related Crashes occurred on Utah roadways, resulting in 1,787 injury crashes, 116 fatal crashes with 133 fatalities.

In addition to speeding, Road Rage and Aggressive Driving crashes have been increasing over the past five years, with a 9.57% decrease in 2024 compared to 2023. Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for these high-risk driver behaviors showed that:

• There have been 3,881 crashes involving road rage / aggressive driving.
• 1,781 crashes resulted in injuries
• 116 fatal crashes
• 133 reported fatalities

From 2023-2025, the Utah Highway Patrol has been tracking citation data from traffic stops and crashes resulting from road rage and aggressive driving. During this time frame, 9,279 citations/arrests were made for offenses under this category.

The most effective countermeasures for reducing aggressive driving and speeding are speed limits (when enforced and obeyed), automated enforcement (not currently allowed in Utah), and communications and outreach coupled with enforcement.

Distracted Driving

Distracted driving remains a persistent and dangerous roadway safety issue statewide, contributing to preventable crashes, injuries, and fatalities. Crash data and law enforcement reports indicate that drivers frequently engage in distracting behaviors such as handheld phone use, texting, adjusting in-vehicle technology, and other activities that divert attention from the driving task. These distractions reduce situational awareness, delay reaction times, and significantly increase the risk of crashes, particularly in high-traffic areas and at higher speeds. The continued prevalence of distracted driving poses a serious threat to all road users and underscores the need for targeted enforcement, public education, and behavioral change strategies to improve roadway safety.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) for these high-risk driver behaviors showed that:

• A total of 25,532 Distracted Driving Crashes occurred on Utah roadways, resulting in 9,291 injury crashes and 88 fatal crashes in the five years
• 6.5% of Utah’s fatal crashes involved a Distracted Driver, resulting in 6.3% Distracted Driving Related Fatalities
• Drivers between the ages of 15 and 29 had the highest number of fatalities in distracted driving crashes
• 63% of the distracted driving crashes were rear-end collisions
• 27% of Distracted Driving Related fatal crashes were the result of the driver failing to yield the right of way.
• 27% of distracted driver fatal crashes involved cell phone use

Preventing Roadside Deaths – Move Over Law

According to NHTSA’s Move Over Fact Sheet, “Making a traffic stop, investigating a crash, or assisting a motorist are some of the most dangerous things law enforcement officers do. These crashes continue to occur despite all 50 states having Move Over laws. The problem is that most people are unaware of the law or what is required by it. It's important to acknowledge that there is a growing nationwide concern about the safety of first responders on the road.

Utah’s Move Over law requires drivers of a vehicle, upon approaching a stationary authorized emergency vehicle that is displaying flashing lights to: reduce the speed of their vehicle, provide as much space as practical to the stationary authorized emergency vehicle, and if traveling in a lane adjacent to the stationary authorized vehicle and if practical, with due regard to safety and traffic conditions, move into a lane not adjacent to the authorized vehicle. Even though the law is in place, too many drivers are unaware of the law or disregard it. To improve safety, it's important to educate drivers about "Move Over" laws and how to react properly to emergency vehicles on the road. The Utah Highway Safety Office will continue to promote the Move Over Law by providing education through our media partners and social media.

Utah crash data for five years (2020-2024) report:

• A total of 1,956 roadside crashes involving emergency response vehicles parked/stopped on roadway shoulders or incident scenes.
• 50 serious injuries
• 8 fatalities

Traffic Records 🖨️ Print This Section

Traffic records crash data is what drives the ability to identify trends, recognize emerging problem areas, and measure the success of previous efforts within the Highway Safety Office.

Utah has experienced significant population growth in recent years, with its current population at 3,506,838. Crash data from the last five years (2020-2024) reveals 291,478 crashes, indicating that 8.31% of Utah's community members were involved in a crash during this period.

A significant challenge in Utah, as in other states, is the capacity to collate and integrate diverse data types to comprehensively depict traffic safety issues. Within Utah, the Traffic Records Team consistently seeks avenues to incorporate various traffic records data elements to enhance data quality. This effort is executed through collaboration with statewide partners who participate in the Utah Traffic Records Coordinating Committee (UTRCC) and the Utah Transportation and Public Safety (UTAPS) project. The UTAPS initiative is currently collecting and analyzing traffic-related citations and vehicle registration data obtained from the state tax commission, and has recently begun receiving emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma data from the Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services. Citation data is currently stored in a discrete database and is being deployed to a unified data warehouse that integrates both crash and citation information. Furthermore, the UTAPS team is slated to develop a database designed to combine crash data with vehicle and EMS data.

Considering the size of the state and the 141 law enforcement agencies that utilize five different crash reporting software vendors and experience continual staff turnover, there is an ongoing need to provide updated training on best practices for completing crash reports correctly to eliminate data errors.

Utah completed a traffic records assessment in January 2024. The results of the assessment demonstrated the need to improve performance measures, gather useful baselines, and meaningful measures. Utah still lacks in data accuracy, integration, and timeliness, resulting in system deficiencies. Utah’s traffic records data reviews have shown that the reports' accuracy is lower than desired. The ability to use innovative tools to analyze and distribute accurate information to stakeholders and data user agencies is limited and needs improvement.

The assessment also demonstrated the need to improve data integration. Utah’s Performance Measure for data integration into the UTAPS program is still a work in progress. U-5 shows that Utah currently has 4 systems integrated into UTAPS. These strategies are part of a comprehensive, evidence-based effort to improve traffic safety, with the ultimate goal of reducing fatalities and injuries on our roadways.