UHP Trooper Hit by Van in Utah Auto Accident

Posted By Ron Kramer on February 1, 2010

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Rachael Zubal, was hit by a car while responding to a Utah auto accident on Saturday, January 30, 2010. Zubal says that she and a UHP trainee responded to an accident near mile marker 337 in Sunset, Utah. She was standing on the side of the highway near the patrol car when a van came skidding towards her going about 40 m.p.h. The van was believed to have hit a patch of ice causing the driver to lose control.

“I didn’t remember anything after that. Just woke up on the ground, pretty alarmed,” says Zubal. “It was all surreal until I realized I had indeed been struck by a vehicle.”

Zubal was taken to McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah where she was treated for serious injuries. This Utah auto accident broke Zubal’s hip and pelvis and cut and bruised her head and face. Despite the seriousness of the injuries, she is expected to be okay and Trooper Zubal is certainly thankful to be alive.

“I always figured your luck would run out and I’d get trunked or struck, but I always thought I’d be in my vehicle. I never imagined it would be outside the vehicle,” she says. “The red and blue lights aren’t just toys. We have them there for a reason.”

According to KSL news, 20 troopers have been hit while helping other drivers over the last several months. Over the past 12 years, traffic-related accidents have been the number one cause of death for police officers across the country. The UHP is asking drivers to slow down when they see those red and blue lights on the side of the road. They also ask drivers to move over as much as possible, look for warnings signs and hazards, and focus on your driving and nothing else.

Did you know that moving over when an officer has his or her lights flashing is actually required by law? It’s not just a suggestion, you can get a ticket if you are able (and the lane change is safe) to move away from the inside lane when an officer is on the side of the road with his or her lights on.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Utah auto accident, contact my office today and request a FREE copy of my Utah Accident Book. In my book, I tell the 13 mistakes that could ruin your Utah auto accident claim.

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