A man was reported to have died on the scene of the accident after his car veered off the road and collided with a tree. The said accident happened just before 11 a.m. on Thursday near 825 West and 3900 South, according to officials.
Investigation is being conducted to determine the cause of the crash and how fast the driver was going before the accident. No other injuries were reported.
On a related note, in the hope of preventing accidents, the government is speeding up research on safety systems that automatically prevent drivers from operating their cars if they are drunk or aren’t buckled properly. Officials are looking at technological innovations as a tool to improve traffic safety.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the innovations such as collision avoidance, seat belt interlocks and driver alcohol detection systems hold the potential of dramatically reducing traffic fatalities. According to the article, the seat belt interlocks would prevent cars and trucks from being driven when the driver or a passenger isn’t buckled properly. This could potentially save about 3,000 people a year who die in crashes that they could have survived were they belted in.
Another innovation considered is a detection system such as those NHTSA is researching with automakers that don’t require any action on the driver’s part except putting their hands on the steering wheel or pushing a start button with a finger. The idea is to eventually include the systems as standard or optional equipment in new vehicles, regardless of whether the driver has a history of drunken driving or not. The idea for the collision avoidance system is something that warns drivers before a collision that they are about to run into another vehicle, and can brake automatically to avoid a crash or make it less severe.
As these technological innovations are still to come, Christensen & Hymas reminds all motorists to adhere to traffic rules and avoid distracted driving. Your safety and the safety of others often lies in your hands when driving, be a responsible driver.
Original article by Mark Green of Fox 13 and Joan Lowy of Deseret News
Image not of reported accident courtesy of Wikimedia