SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4 News) – Mallorie Martinez was given a second chance in life.
The new attitude developed after she survived a one car rollover last November.
“My Ipod was right here on the console and I just grabbed it and was shuffling through it, not paying attention to the road," Martinez said.
Her car hit a trailer that was being towed on Highway 6 near Price.
She rolled over several times and managed to survive.
"I was conscious through the whole thing, I remember everything,” she said.
“It was very terrifying, very terrifying."
She was lucky.
But last year 235 drivers weren't. That’s the number of highway fatalities on Utah roads. But it’s an improvement according to state highway officials.
In 2000, 373 drivers were called. It represents a 37 percent decrease.
In their annual report, Utah Department of Transportation officials listed failure to buckling up was the biggest reason why people died.
The report showed that 89 of the total fatalities were attributed to improper restraint. 70-deaths were caused by speed and 35-DUI deaths were included.
"We can't make you put down the cell phone,” said Carlos Braceras, the deputy director of UDOT. “We can't make you give up those keys if you've been drinking. We can't make you put on the seat belt.”
But officials said efforts to step up enforcement and campaigns to alert drivers are working.
“The ten percent of the population that choose not to choose not to wear their seat belt represent fifty percent of fatalities in the state,” said Major Mike Rapich of the Utah Highway Patrol. “That's an aspect we're committed to focus on.”
And they hope testimonials from survivors like Mallorie Martinez get the word out.
State officials want zero fatalities on Utah’s roads.
And while that may seem unrealistic, Mallorie Martinez said if her message saves one life that's good enough.
“My seat belt saved my life,” she said. “If I wouldn't have had it I would be dead. And other distractions like Ipods and texting are not worth it.”
