State agencies urge drivers to be careful on icy roads after a sliding car nearly hit a Division of Wildlife Resources officer in Provo Canyon, causing a multi-car pileup.
The officer was helping a driver whose car slid off Highway 189 eastbound near the Sundance exit Saturday morning. Soon after, another car lost control and hit the officer’s parked truck. He had to jump over the guardrail to avoid getting hit.
Division of Wildlife Resources Public Information Officer Faith Heaton Jolley said the agency is grateful the man wasn’t seriously injured.
“Basically,” she said, “it was just really, really icy conditions yesterday during that time in Provo Canyon, and multiple vehicles ended up sliding into the barrier. We just wanted to give a reminder to slow down anytime there’s icy conditions or the roads look wet, and then also just to give officers and other emergency responders a lot of space when they are responding to something and they are on the side of the road.”
The accident caused traffic to back up over a mile. Jolley said as many as 10 more cars in that line of traffic slid off the road or collided. Troopers closed one of two lanes on the road.
According to trooper Andrew Battenshield, the other accidents were all minor, and no injuries were reported.
Battenshield added that canyon roads are especially prone to having slick spots because with less sunlight, roads are colder. In addition to slowing down, he also encourages drivers to use proper equipment like tires with snow tread.
