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Duchesne, Salt Lake Counties Among Worst for Driver Safety

Have you ever wondered where the worst drivers are in Utah? The Utah Department of Public Safety has released a study that ranks Duchesne County at the top of the list, followed closely by Salt Lake and Weber counties. Research Analyst Gary Mower says the report, based on 2010 data, ranks counties based on categories like the rate of crashes and the rate of seatbelt use for those involved in crashes.

(KCPW News) Have you ever wondered where the worst drivers are in Utah? The Utah Department of Public Safety has released a study that ranks Duchesne County at the top of the list, followed closely by Salt Lake and Weber counties. Research Analyst Gary Mower says the report, based on 2010 data, ranks counties based on categories like the rate of crashes and the rate of seatbelt use for those involved in crashes. He says Duchesne ranked high in just about every category except for crashes involving bicyclists and pedestrians.

“Fatal crashes, total number of crashes per mile traveled, the percent of people in crashes that were not restrained,” he explained. “They had a high number of drunk driving crashes and a high number of speed crashes and motorcycle crashes.”

He adds although Duchesne lays claim to the worst drivers in the state, it would be wrong to assume someone who’s driving poorly is a resident of that county.

“What we did is we looked at where the crash occurred,” he says, “and so the crashes in Duchesne County, they may involve or may not involve people from Duchesne County. That’s where the crash happened.”

Piute County boasts the best drivers in Utah followed by Millard and Box Elder. Mower says if drivers would decrease their speed and increase their following distance, there would be fewer crashes statewide.


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