A silver SUV was turning left onto the highway to go south when a semitrailer couldn’t avoid it and collided with the vehicle.
Utah Highway Patrol Cpl. Jared Heywood said it happened at about 8:15 a.m. on May 27.
“The Nissan Xterra attempted to make a left-hand turn in front of the Kenworth semitruck, and the Kenworth was unable to stop in time, T-boning the Xterra,” he said.
The SUV driver, the only person in the car, died at the scene. Their name has not yet been released.
The crash at mile marker 15, near the Coyote Ridge neighborhood, is under investigation.
Lane closures slowed traffic for hours Tuesday as UHP troopers funneled vehicles to the shoulders of the road. U.S. 40 reopened at about 1 p.m.
Heywood said as drivers enter the “100 deadliest days” of summer, it’s critical to stay alert behind the wheel.
“Driving is a full-time job,” he said. “Make sure all of your focus is on driving when you’re in that driver’s seat.”
In 2023 and 2024 alone, the Utah Department of Transportation says there were nearly 100 crashes on the five-mile stretch of U.S. 40 between River Road and 1200 South, with three fatalities. The deadly crash Tuesday marked the fourth person killed there over the last few years.
This latest incident comes after UDOT shared plans to install concrete barriers and three traffic lights on the highway, specifically to make left turns safer.
UDOT regional spokesperson Wyatt Woolley said Tuesday the agency hopes to add a traffic light at the intersection of U.S. 40 and Coyote Canyon Parkway by the end of the summer.
The barriers haven’t yet been scheduled for installation, nor have two more traffic lights intended for the intersections at Potters Lane and Commons Boulevard.
UDOT is planning an open house to hear from residents about the proposed barriers but has not announced a date yet.
