UHP patrol car, other vehicles hit amid slippery road conditions


7 photos
Save Story

Show 1 more video

Leer en español

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

SALT LAKE CITY — Buckle up and slow down.

That's the advice for drivers after a weekend tally of of more than 200 accidents and several fatalities up and down the Wasatch Front over the holiday weekend.

It's a reminder for drivers to be aware of road conditions, said UHP trooper Andrew Battenfield, whose own vehicle was stuck by a sliding car on an icy stretch of freeway while he was assisting other drivers involved in weather-related accidents Saturday.

"Highway Patrol gives out the same message every year. Our goal with the Department of Public Safety is to have zero fatalities," Battenfield said Sunday. "There is only so much that we can do as Highway Patrol. We need the public's help in reaching this zero fatality goal."

Shortly before 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Battenfield pulled over to help a driver whose pickup truck had rolled near 800 North on the right-hand side of southbound I-15. Soon after, another crash involving two vehicles occurred in the same area. After that, two more vehicles crashed into the barrier in separate incidents.

As Battenfield moved from vehicle to vehicle assisting the drivers, he saw an SUV in the far left lane sliding across the freeway to the right-hand side, bringing two more cars with it. The trio of drifting vehicles hit several cars that were already pulled over, including Battenfield's patrol car and a fire engine.

Despite the damage, no one was seriously injured, said Battenfield, who was standing about 30 feet away when his vehicle was struck. But it could have been much worse.

Damage to Utah Highway Patrol trooper Andy Battenfield's car is shown Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015. Battenfield's vehicle was hit by an SUV on I-15 over the weekend, and he talked about the need for safety on the roads. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
Damage to Utah Highway Patrol trooper Andy Battenfield's car is shown Sunday, Nov. 29, 2015. Battenfield's vehicle was hit by an SUV on I-15 over the weekend, and he talked about the need for safety on the roads. (Photo: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

"We got pretty lucky. If that storm had come on a regular weekday, we probably would have had a lot more accidents, a lot more damage to property and to lives," he said. "Where I was looking, it was like a sheet of ice. You could have easily started a hockey game."

Several UHP vehicles are struck each year, both with troopers inside and outside of them. Last year, 19 patrol vehicles were hit by other motorists, and eight have been hit so far this year, according to UHP.

Battenfield said drivers should slow down and use extra caution when approaching the site of an accident. When motorists are involved in a collision, it's best to pull forward to the nearest exit if their vehicle is movable. If not, stay buckled in, he said.

Motorists should also be prepared for emergencies during the winter months in case they have to walk or stay out in the cold until help arrives, he said.

"Slow down. Pay attention to what's going on around you. If you can see cars start to slide, you're going to slide as well," he said.

Contributing: Sandra Yi

Photos

Most recent Utah stories

Related topics

Utah
Morgan Jacobsen

    STAY IN THE KNOW

    Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Subscribe to the KSL.com Trending 5.
    By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    KSL Weather Forecast