Further Protection Needed in Parley's Canyon

Another accident in Parleys Canyon has resulted in the loss of an innocent life. Forty-five (45) year old Bruce McGowan was killed Saturday night while driving home on Interstate 80 from a partial shift at the Magna station. Troopers say as he approached Parley's Summit around 8:30 p.m., the driver of a westbound Jeep Cherokee lost control, crossed over the median, launched into the air and hit McGowan's Volkswagon Jetta on the driver's side. The surviving driver is a Murray man in his 20’s who authorities say may have been intoxicated while driving. According to the article the driver was clearly going above the speed limit at around 80 miles per hour.

Below is a link to the full article:

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=12395217

My heart goes out to families, friends and everyone involved in this sad tragedy, resulting in the loss of a hero. Parleys Canyon is a treacherous drive claiming many lives every year. I recall a fatal accident a couple months ago near the same spot in Parleys that also took someone's life. What both confuses and frustrates me is there is not an actual cement barrier or median separating the opposing traffic. As is made evident by incidents such as this one, and others, precautions need to be taken. Why has the State of Utah not stepped up and made an actual cement barrier that will do a better job of protecting innocent drivers?

Thousands of accidents happen every year in Utah. As is true with most accidents most of them could be avoided. It is most devastating when innocent people are harmed or killed because of the careless nature of another person. The goal of this blog is to plead with every reader to drive responsibly, especially on a road like Parley's Canyon. If you or anyone you know is a victim of a similar automotive accident please do not hesitate to contact my office.