By Heather Bowser
Five people died on Utah highways this weekend despite a stepped-up enforcement campaign by state troopers.
The Utah Highway Patrol used marked cars, motorcycles, and even a helicopter to swarm targeted areas along the interstate.
They placed as many as 35 troopers in a 20-mile radius to catch motorists who were speeding or following too close.
?We had three fatalities last year, and that?s obviously three too many,? said Utah Highway Patrol Capt. Jeff Graviet in a news conference Friday. ?By noon, our troopers already arrested one drunk driver and a bullet bike going 110 mph popping a wheelie.?
Although troopers made numerous arrests, increased Memorial Day traffic proved to be more than they could manage.
According to The Associated Press, the latest highway crash victim was killed early Sunday on Interstate 15 just north of the Arizona line.
The victim, believed to be an illegal immigrant from Mexico, hit a guardrail and rolled down an embankment.
Highway Patrol Lt. Kirk Middaugh said fatalities began Friday afternoon when KC Beath, a 16-year-old from Neola was killed in Duchesne County.
The crash occurred in Talmage when the boy?s pickup blew a tire and he lost control, ejecting him from the truck ? three hours after the highway patrol began their safety campaign.
Later that night at about 10:30 p.m., an accident claimed the life of another teenage boy.
He was a passenger in a Honda Civic that was struck at an intersection by a southbound Jeep Cherokee.
His name has not yet been released.
Saturday morning in Tooele County, a Colorado man was killed on Interstate 80 near Lake Point about 3:15 a.m., The Associated Press reported. Police say the 55 year-old man drifted to the right, overcorrected to the left, slid sideways and rolled.
Later, an accident near Montezuma Creek claimed the life of a passenger after he was ejected from an SUV. The driver told troopers he swerved to miss another vehicle and his SUV rolled several times.
The victim''s name has not been released.
Last year there were 37 accidents and three fatalities during Memorial Day weekend.
The number one cause of accidents in the state of Utah is following too close while driving too fast.
TROOPER TIDBITS
Here are ten tips from state troopers:
1. Troopers do not have a ticket quota but can potentially ticket one motorist every 15 minutes.
2. Troopers say they get irritated when women cry to try to get out of tickets.
3. Troopers can visually recognize speeding vehicles without using radar. They use radar for about two seconds to verify the speed ? all before the motorist has a chance to use a radar detector or slow down.
4. Trooper?s cars are equipped with Internet capable laptops and printers. They can use license plate numbers to determine if drivers carry insurance, a valid registration, a valid license and any unpaid tickets, etc.
5. Troopers use a microphone planted in their belt and video system mounted in the front window to record all interactions with motorists.
6. Troopers usually focus on the passing lane for speeders.
7. Troopers use radar guns mounted in the front and back of their cars to catch speeders while driving with the flow of traffic.
8. Troopers can pull over two speeders at once by telling the first motorist to follow them while they pull over the additional car.
9. Troopers wear a bulletproof vest and a loaded gun at all times while on duty.
10. Troopers have total discretion as to who they pull over, although most will always give tickets for speeding above 80 mph.