News Release

Zion National Park to Increase Impaired Driving Enforcement over 4th of July Weekend

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News Release Date: June 26, 2019
Contact: Eugenne Moisa, [phone] ext. 172
Contact: Aly Baltrus

SPRINGDALE, UT – Zion National Park will enhance the enforcement of impaired driving over 4^th of July’s four day weekend through expanded checkpoints and increased road patrols for visitor safety.

Zion National Park’s law enforcement aims to keep all visitors, local residents, and wildlife safe on park roads. Impaired driving in Zion National Park is especially dangerous due to narrow roads, steep drop-offs, sharp turns, and traffic congestion.

Motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional fatalities in national parks. Unfortunately, one person dies in a motor vehicle crash every week on National Park Service roadways. Most crashes occur during the daytime in summer months when parks have the most visitors. Impaired driving crashes killed 10,874 people in 2017 in the United States. Accounting for 29 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S. That is an average of one alcohol impaired driving fatality every 48 minutes. 

Zion National Park rangers wish for all visitors to have an enjoyable and safe visit to the park, which means obeying traffic regulations, wearing seatbelts, and paying attention to the road. If you plan to drink, assign a designated driver in your group before driving. It is important to note that consuming or carrying an open alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle is illegal in national parks.

Please drink responsibly and have a safe, enjoyable holiday weekend.

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