In advance of thousands of Utahns heading to the reservoirs, the all-terrain vehicle trails, the rivers and campsites this weekend, state officials held a briefing Wednesday to try to help keep people safe.
One resounding message is to pack patience. It will be crowded.
And then there are the things you should do to keep you and your loved ones safe as you recreate over the Labor Day weekend.
Keeping safe means you should:
- Wear a helmet when mountain biking and off-roading
- Wear a life jacket while boating and during float trips
- Use safe wildfire practices — such as leaving your campground fire completely extinguished in the pit
- Not park on a dry, wild land surface
- Wear sunscreen, drink water, bring plenty of snacks and a GPS locater, and tell friends, family and even co-workers where you are headed
The tragic fact is many Utah outdoor tragedies can be prevented.
Chase Pili, captain of the Utah Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement, said of the 10 drowning fatalities the state has tracked this year, nine could have been prevented.
Boating under the influence is unsafe and illegal. And rangers will be looking.
Ty Hunter, boating program manager with the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation, said lifejackets, unfortunately, are often an optional safeguard for those who are not legally required to wear them.
Utah sits at a 6.7% compliance rate, better than the national average but not where Hunter says the rate should be.
“You can never get enough education,” he said. “Stuff really happens quickly.”
People can find out more by going to boating.utah.gov to learn more about safe practices on the water.
Ben Meraz, manager of the Willard Bay State Park, anticipates it will be a crowded weekend, but the water levels are low and people need to be cautious.
ATVs and staying safe
Trail conditions can change rapidly and, in many instances, drivers are impaired and engaging in unsafe practices. In many instances, they are not wearing helmets.
This season, officers have responded to 22 OHV crash incidents, five involving DUIs and seven that caused life-threatening injuries, often tied to rollovers and ejections.
When it comes to wildfires, Kayli Guild, prevention and communications coordinator with the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands, stressed the need for extreme caution even though monsoonal storms have hit many parts of Utah.
This year, 886 fires have charred 163,000 acres and 65% of those fires were human-caused. The main ignition has been vehicles on dry vegetation.
The good news
So far this year, Utah has seen a nearly 10% decrease in traffic fatalities year-to-date, with an 18% decrease in summer fatalities. The total number of summer crashes is currently at a 10-year low. Officials say this is encouraging progress and are urging Utahns to help keep that number moving in the right direction through the busy Labor Day weekend.
“Every number represents a person, and behind each of those lives are families, friends and communities,” said John Gleason, the Utah Department of Transportation public relations director.
“Seeing fewer lives lost on Utah’s roads this year is encouraging progress. But with Labor Day being one of the busiest weekends of the year, we need everyone to do their part to keep that trend moving in the right direction.”