SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Falling snow and freezing temperatures kept road crews plenty busy Friday night as the storm blew across most of Utah.
Officers responded to numerous accidents; two of them fatal. In Fruit Heights a man died after he and his wife got out of their car on Highway 89 and then were pinned by an on-coming car that couldn't stop because of the snow.
Then in Layton, a young woman died after she lost control of her Chevy Cavalier and spun out of control. The accident happened on I-15 near the Layton Parkway where heavy snow and wind made for slippery driving and poor visibility.
The names of the two people killed in those accidents last night have been released. 64-year old Mark Seegmiller died in the accident on Highway 89. He is from Kaysville. The woman who died in Layton is 18-year old Courtney Bair. She was from Brigham City.
UHP troopers say speed is usually the biggest factor in crashes. "We talk about speed. Obviously speed is always a problem, and as the snow starts flying, people sometimes forget they have to adjust their speed," says UHP Trooper Jalaine Hawkes.
Troopers also point to the importance of car maintenance and making sure tires and brakes are in good condition.
"People drive around and forget to check their tires and they keep driving until they're pretty much gone."
Crews with UDOT and police agencies will be standing by on Saturday night in case the melting snow turns into black ice ,but they are urging all drivers to slow down and drive extra carefully. "Some of the worst places in the county are going to be on the overpasses and on the bridges. They ice up the worst," says trooper Hawkes.
