Zero Fatalities is leading a statewide effort to decrease the number of lives lost caused by crashes on Utah roads. In 2025, traffic deaths dropped to their lowest level in six years in 2025 — a hopeful milestone that is overshadowed by rising fatalities for groups of Utah motorcyclists and teens.
Preliminary 2025 data released by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Tuesday shows 264 people lost their lives in traffic crashes between Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025 on Utah roads. That number is an improvement from the 277 deaths in 2024 and is the lowest number of traffic deaths in the state since 2019, when 248 deaths were recorded.
“Behind every number is a person, and a family forever changed,” Shaunna Burbidge, Zero Fatalities program manager, said in an email to Deseret News. “While fewer lives were lost this year, even one death is one too many. These numbers help us understand where risks remain and remind us that the choices we make on the road can save lives.”
Despite the overall decline, officials reported increases in fatalities for motorcyclists and teens on Utah roads in 2025.
Motorcyclist deaths rose by 32% compared to 2024, according to UDOT and DPS. In a statement sent to Deseret News, officials emphasized riders’ vulnerability while on the road and highlighted the importance of visibility, protective gear and safe speeds.
Teen traffic fatalities also rose in 2025. Thirty-one teens lost their lives in crashes on Utah roads. An alarming number that nearly doubles the 18 deaths reported the previous year. Officials said that inexperience, distractions and risky behaviors were common factors in crashes involving young drivers.
Zero Fatalities officials emphasized the importance of driver education, developing safe habits and parental involvement to help reduce young driver crashes.
Fatal crashes involving older drivers also increased last year. Zero Fatalities data shows senior deaths rose from 37 deaths in 2024 to 53 in 2025, a 43.4% increase.
Zero Fatalities also shared the top four leading causes of all crashes on Utah highways:
- Following too closely
- Failing to yield to the right-of-way
- Too fast for conditions — includes speeding
- Unsafe lane changes/failing to keep in proper lane
Nationally, traffic deaths followed a similar downward trend. A Dec. 9 report from the U.S Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided early estimates, indicating roadway fatalities dropped by 6.4% compared to the same period in 2024.
Early data from 2026 shows how quickly these deadly crashes can occur. According to Zero Fatalities, as of Jan. 6, 2026, two people have already lost their lives in traffic crashes, with a total of 280 crashes reported statewide since the start of the new year.
What drivers can do
The Zero Fatalities website encourages drivers to drive alert, drive focused, drive calm, drive sober and drive buckled.
“Every time we travel, we make choices that carry lifelong consequences for ourselves and everyone else on the road,” said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Mike Alexander in an email sent to Deseret News.
“The reality is that these tragedies are preventable. When we commit to driving focused, alert, sober, calm and when we ensure every person in the vehicle is buckled up, we aren’t just following the law; we are actively saving lives. It’s time we all take that responsibility to heart.”