Utah ranks 3rd in nation for most fatal crashes near construction zones
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Utah ranked near the top of the list for the most deadly construction zone crashes in the United States.
Utah had a total of 2,399 fatal crashes between 2012 and 2021 — 79 of which were fatal work zone crashes, according to a recent report by Lending Tree, a popular lender for homes and cars.
According to Lending Tree, fatal work zone crashes have been increasing nationally — going up nearly 60% from 2012 to 2021.
“Work zones aren’t immune from dangerous driving practices,” the report states.
A break down of the numbers
Work zones where crews perform construction, maintenance, or utility tasks can be dangerous if drivers aren’t careful. Fatal work zone crashes rose 57.1% over the 10 years Lending Tree analyzed, jumping from 555 in 2012 to 872 in 2021 (2021’s number was a 10-year high).
The western area of the U.S. saw the highest increase from 2012-2021, rising 76.9%, the report states. This region also had the second-largest population increase between the 2010 and 2020 census — making it possible that population growth could explain the increase in deadly work zone crashes.
In the 10 years analyzed, Texas had the highest percentage of deadly crashes that occurred in work zones, followed by Nebraska and Utah.
From 2012 to 2021, 4.3% of the 33,436 fatal crashes in Texas happened in work zones, ahead of Nebraska at 3.6% and Utah at 3.3%. The state with the lowest rate of fatal crashes in work zones was New York at 0.7%, the report states.
These numbers align with a rise in recent years in fatalities related to distracted driving and speeding, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
According to Lending Tree, Utah is a state “taking action” despite these high percentages. In the state, highway maintenance vehicles display flashing amber lights.
Additionally, the report notes most work zone fatalities in Utah are drivers and passengers, according to statistics from the Utah Department of Transportation.
3 work zone safety tips, according to Lending Tree
Minimize distractions: Distracted driving habits, such as texting, aren’t just dangerous, they’re deadly — they were responsible for more than 3,500 deaths in 2021.
Slow down: Slowing down or moving over to the next lane to give road workers space is important. It helps provide those workers with a larger physical buffer and ensures that any accidents that occur do so at a lower speed.
Keep your eyes open: Since work zones can be dangerous, it is important to keep alert and look for instructions from flaggers or potential hazards.
For more information, you can view the full report here.
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