By Lane Stilson
Josh Graham”s ski trip last Tuesday didn”t seem out of the ordinary. Each winter, the New York native makes at least 30 snowboarding trips up Big Cottonwood Canyon to the Brighton ski resort. Graham, 24, had driven the canyon literally hundreds of times and wasn”t expecting anything abnormal.
But on the way to the resort, Graham hit a patch of black ice, losing control of his Toyota Tacoma and sliding into the opposing lane of traffic. The last thing Graham remembers is a large Ford truck coming directly at him.
“I thought, ”Here it is; it”s going to happen. I”m going to hit this truck,” he said. “There was nothing I could do. It was me versus truck. ”
Fortunately, Graham, a senior at BYU majoring in illustration, suffered only minor injuries from the accident — remarkable considering it was a head-on collision.
Graham”s accident is all too common during winter months in Utah. For example, January was the peak month for traffic accidents in 2002, despite the relatively mild winter that year.
“The biggest things we find is that a lot of people don”t understand what our winters are like,” said Sgt. Ted Tingey of the Utah Highway Patrol. “People need to be sure they are prepared.”
Tingey said people should make sure they have good snow tires, windshield wipers that work properly, a blanket in the car, antifreeze and plenty of gas before taking any trips. The police officers told Graham that good snow tires may have prevented his accident.
For people who have never driven in the snow, Tingey suggested they practice before jumping into the winter driving months.
“If they”re not familiar with it, just go out in an empty parking lot when it”s not busy and practice braking skills,” he said. “See what your car will do.”
Tingey”s suggestions are especially relevant to college-aged people because they account for the largest percentage of car accidents each year. Little wonder insurance rates drop after age 25.
Tingey added that one of the best things people can do is buckle up. According to police officers, Graham”s accident would have had a different outcome had he not been wearing his seatbelt.
On the bright side, winter accidents are usually less fatal than summer accidents. July and August were the deadliest months for traffic accidents in 2002, even though January had the most accidents overall. Tingey said winter driving conditions make people travel slower, reducing the likelihood of a fatal accident.
