Show Stop the to Slaughter We Ve have had in Utah this year two shocking automobile accidents the worst private vehicle mishaps in point of death toll in the states state's history The first occurred February 17 on onU U U. S. S Highway 91 near Kaysville Seven members of a wedding party died when a car being b driven at high speed failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into a semi The second occurred this week when two cars crashed on head-on on U. U S. S 91 near Holden in Millard County Authorities say one car tried lo to pass a truck on a curve The second car tried to stop on the icy road skidded out of control and the head head on on crash followed State Trooper E. E C. C Sherwood said that during the last year and a half there had been four accidents on U. U S. S 91 between Scipio and Kanosh a distance distance distance dis dis- dis- dis tance of 38 miles which had claimed 16 lives All of this emphasizes the importance of rural safety safely in Utah While most accidents occur in cities and towns those which occur out on rural roads and highways highways high high- ways are more severe For instance last year in Utah there were reported accidents in incorporated incorporated incorporated in in- cities and towns of all sizes In contrast there were only accidents accidents accidents acci acci- dents in rural areas But 72 persons lost their lives in the urban accidents compared with who died in rural mishaps And the toll of severe injury was almost equal despite the fact there were more than twice as many urban accidents Most disturbing is the fact that both national and state statistics show that serious rural accidents are on the increase increase increase in in- crease whereas they are re declining in urban areas There is apparently failure in rural traffic safety effort effort and and that is exactly the charge b made by Norman Damon vice president of Automotive Safety Foundation in an article in the February issue of J public Safety Magazine He says the county is the missing link in traffic traffic traffic fic safety Dean Z Z Haddick president of the National Association of County Officials Officials Officials Of Of- admitted inactivity and lack of interest on the part of county officials The bad rural accident record generally generally generally gen gen- the shocking multiple death accidents accidents accidents acci acci- dents which have occurred this year on our rural highways the rural death strips such as that thai between Scipio and Kanosh all Kanosh-all all of these things are a challenge challenge challenge chal chal- lenge to lo our rural area highway patrolmen patrolmen patrolmen patrol patrol- men to our county sheriffs and our county officials to our rural leadership I generally Some of the responsibility for stopping the slaughter rests with state officialdom but in the final analysis rural safety in Utah will only be achieved if there is concern and vigorous action at the grass roots level |