Semi Flips Over on I-80 in Wyoming, Distracted Driving to Blame

The Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding all drivers to avoid falling prey to distractions after a trucker flipped their rig on Interstate 80 Friday afternoon.

According to a Facebook post, the crash happened near milepost 26 in Uinta County, about 20 miles east of Evanston.

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"Troopers found that the tractor-trailer was driving westbound when it came upon slower traffic," the post reads. "After an evasive maneuver, the driver overcorrected, causing the combination to flip on its side completely blocking westbound traffic."

No Injuries in I-80 Crash Involving Semi

Fortunately, no one was injured in the crash.

The Patrol says preliminary investigation indicates careless/distracted driving contributed to the crash.

"Troopers would like to remind all drivers to drive with an awareness of the traffic around (their) vehicle," the post reads. "Always (drive distraction-free.)"

Road Fatalities: Most Dangerous Time, Day, and Month by State

Knowing what dangers are ahead is part of being a good driver. Georgia-based attorneys at Bader Scott gathered information from the National Highway Safety Transportation Administration (NHTSA) to determine the most fatal time, day, and month to be on the road in each of the 50 states.

Gallery Credit: Scott Clow

2022's Deadliest Wyoming County by Traffic Deaths

While car crashes can occur anywhere, some roads in Wyoming are more dangerous than others.

According to Wyoming Highway Patrol data, there were 117 fatal crashes in the Cowboy State in 2022 resulting in 133 deaths.

Of those fatal crashes, the majority (13.68%) occurred in Laramie County -- two in January, one in February, one in March, two in April, one in June, two in July, three in August, two in September, one in November, and one in December.

Sweetwater County saw the second most fatal crashes last year, 12, while Fremont and Lincoln counties each saw 10.

Albany and Park counties each recorded eight, and Campbell, Converse, and Natrona counties each tallied seven.

The deadliest 2022 crash in Laramie County took place on June 17 when two semis collided on Interstate 80 east of Cheyenne and immediately became engulfed in flames killing both drivers and a passenger.

Laramie County also saw two fatal crashes involving motorcyclists, two fatal crashes involving juveniles, and a fatal crash involving a pedestrian last year.

Below is the Wyoming Highway Patrol narrative of every fatal crash that occurred in Laramie County in 2022.

Gallery Credit: Joy Greenwald

Source: Semi Flips Over on I-80 in Wyoming, Distracted Driving to Blame

Filed Under: wyoming, Interstate 80, I-80, Crash, no injuries, Unita County, commercial vehicle, distracted driving

Categories: Cheyenne, Wyoming