Brett
Meat-Hippy
- Location
- Salt Lake City Utah
http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/216285/4/
UHP targets risky drivers
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NATALIE ANDREWS - Daily Herald
If you're the one on the road speeding, cutting people off or otherwise acting irrational, watch out this weekend.
The Utah Highway Patrol is staging an aggressive drivers blitz in Spanish Fork Canyon. Officers will be looking for drivers creating hazardous conditions by making unsafe lane changes or following too closely.
And for those who have the "It just won't happen to me" syndrome, it might be wise to reconsider.
"We see a good cross section of all vehicle types when we're talking about aggressive drivers," UHP Sgt. Brett Christensen said.
The most common wreck that aggressive drivers cause is one they aren't often in. An aggressive driver will swerve to change lanes, cutting off someone behind him. The driver who was cut off will be forced to brake, causing a wreck with the person behind the car, but the aggressive driver will not be involved and will continue on his or her way.
In the canyon, Christensen said drivers will feel alone and may be tempted to speed. Or, they may get frustrated while behind a slower semi-trailer or vehicle.
"A lot of times people just get a kind of aggressive attitude when they are isolated in their cars," Christensen said. "They feel a sense of entitlement."
The Moab Jeep Safari is today through April 8, so the UHP also will be looking for vehicles that shouldn't be on the road, such as vehicles that are raised too high or need mud flaps.
"Most of these off-roaders, they have big tires and they've got to make sure they have the back of the tires covered so they don't flip rocks up and break windshields," said Mark Rausher, manager of Six States Distributors in Orem.
Six States manufacturers drive-train and off-road related products.
Christensen said if vehicles don't have the proper safety equipment, or are altered so they don't steer right or are elevated too high, the UHP in the blitz won't let them continue the drive to Moab.
Rausher said that if the vehicles don't pass a safety inspection, the vehicles should just be taken to Slickrock on a trailer. Even still, he expects the safari to be busy.
"It's been so crazy, it's been amazing, it's been hard to get caught up," he said of business at his store. "If business is any indication, it's going to be a busy week down there next week."
Christensen said with the increased traffic load, there will naturally be more drivers who have consumed alcohol on the road, so he warned all those to be careful when traveling.
Natalie Andrews can be reached at 344-2548 or nandrews@heraldextra.
Utah State lift requirements for vehicles:
Less than 4,500 pounds - not greater than 24 inches
4,500 - 7,500 - not greater 26 inches
7,500- more - not greater 28 inches
Your vehicle's weight can be found on the VIN plate.
UHP targets risky drivers
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATALIE ANDREWS - Daily Herald
If you're the one on the road speeding, cutting people off or otherwise acting irrational, watch out this weekend.
The Utah Highway Patrol is staging an aggressive drivers blitz in Spanish Fork Canyon. Officers will be looking for drivers creating hazardous conditions by making unsafe lane changes or following too closely.
And for those who have the "It just won't happen to me" syndrome, it might be wise to reconsider.
"We see a good cross section of all vehicle types when we're talking about aggressive drivers," UHP Sgt. Brett Christensen said.
The most common wreck that aggressive drivers cause is one they aren't often in. An aggressive driver will swerve to change lanes, cutting off someone behind him. The driver who was cut off will be forced to brake, causing a wreck with the person behind the car, but the aggressive driver will not be involved and will continue on his or her way.
In the canyon, Christensen said drivers will feel alone and may be tempted to speed. Or, they may get frustrated while behind a slower semi-trailer or vehicle.
"A lot of times people just get a kind of aggressive attitude when they are isolated in their cars," Christensen said. "They feel a sense of entitlement."
The Moab Jeep Safari is today through April 8, so the UHP also will be looking for vehicles that shouldn't be on the road, such as vehicles that are raised too high or need mud flaps.
"Most of these off-roaders, they have big tires and they've got to make sure they have the back of the tires covered so they don't flip rocks up and break windshields," said Mark Rausher, manager of Six States Distributors in Orem.
Six States manufacturers drive-train and off-road related products.
Christensen said if vehicles don't have the proper safety equipment, or are altered so they don't steer right or are elevated too high, the UHP in the blitz won't let them continue the drive to Moab.
Rausher said that if the vehicles don't pass a safety inspection, the vehicles should just be taken to Slickrock on a trailer. Even still, he expects the safari to be busy.
"It's been so crazy, it's been amazing, it's been hard to get caught up," he said of business at his store. "If business is any indication, it's going to be a busy week down there next week."
Christensen said with the increased traffic load, there will naturally be more drivers who have consumed alcohol on the road, so he warned all those to be careful when traveling.
Natalie Andrews can be reached at 344-2548 or nandrews@heraldextra.
Utah State lift requirements for vehicles:
Less than 4,500 pounds - not greater than 24 inches
4,500 - 7,500 - not greater 26 inches
7,500- more - not greater 28 inches
Your vehicle's weight can be found on the VIN plate.
