Utah Crash Summary, 1998
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Summary
The *Utah Crash Summary, 1998* analyzes traffic safety trends in Utah using data from 1968 to 1998, with a primary focus on the 1998 reporting year. Produced by the Utah Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) at the University of Utah, the report aims to identify factors contributing to crashes, injuries, and fatalities to inform public health and safety programs. The data is derived from crash reports filed by law enforcement and entered into the Crash Analysis Reporting System (CARS), with fatal crash data supplemented by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). Notably, starting in 1997, crashes on private property were excluded from the dataset, accounting for some observed decreases in total crash numbers. The study presents a comprehensive statistical analysis of 54,072 motor vehicle crashes reported in 1998, which resulted in 30,232 injuries and 350 fatalities. The methodology involves calculating crash rates per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (MVMT) to adjust for traffic volume changes over time. The report categorizes crashes by severity, location (urban vs. rural, county, and city), time of day, and specific risk factors including speeding, alcohol and drug impairment, occupant protection, and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. It also examines demographic trends, particularly focusing on teenage drivers (ages 15–19) and out-of-state drivers. Key findings indicate that Utah’s overall crash rate in 1998 was 254.2 per 100 million MVMT, the lowest in 30 years, reflecting a long-term decline since 1968. Speeding was identified as the leading factor associated with crash fatalities, with 7,788 speed-related crashes causing 95 deaths. Alcohol and other drug involvement accounted for 1,909 crashes and 49 fatalities, representing 14% of all fatalities, the lowest percentage of the decade. Seatbelt use was reported at 89% overall, but unbelted occupants were 10 times more likely to sustain a fatal injury than belted occupants. Teenage drivers exhibited higher crash rates than other groups, with 42% receiving citations compared to 34% of all drivers. Vulnerable road users faced significant risks; over 90% of pedestrians and bicyclists involved in crashes suffered injury or death, and only 25% of motorcyclists involved in crashes were wearing helmets. The report concludes that while statewide safety initiatives, including seatbelt laws and DUI enforcement, have successfully reduced crash rates, motor vehicle crashes remain a leading cause of death and disability. The data highlights specific areas for targeted intervention, particularly regarding speed-related crashes, teenage driver safety, and the protection of pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists. The findings provide evidence-based insights for policymakers and safety specialists to design educational programs and legislative measures aimed at further reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities.
Key finding
Unbelted occupants were 10 times more likely to sustain a fatal injury than belted occupants, and speeding was the leading factor associated with crash fatalities.
Methodology
dataset
Sample size: 54072
Provenance
The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).
| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | rosap | — | — | 2 | 2026-05-23 |
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| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
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| embed | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-02 |
| enrich | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-05-23 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-05-23 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 3 | 2026-06-10 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 19 | 2026-06-11 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.
Topics
Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.
- incidence prevalence
- demographic disparities
- fatality injury trends
- comparative international
- vru crash typology
- sex gender
Information type
What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).
- Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes, observational prevalence