ST. GEORGE — Four people were transported to the hospital Tuesday morning following a head-on collision that occurred on state Route 9 in Virgin.
At approximately 7:30 a.m., a Ford F150 truck traveling westbound at about mile marker 19 in Virgin drifted to the left across the center lane and hit a Nissan SUV head-on, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cameron Roden told St. George News.
Roden said the driver of the Ford truck, a 21-year-old man, was suspected to have been driving while drowsy, which may have caused the collision.
All four occupants in the Nissan were transported to St. George Regional Hospital. Three of them were transported by ground with non-life-threatening injuries, Roden said, while a woman in her 50s in critical condition was airlifted to the hospital.
The driver of the Ford truck sustained minor injuries.
Roden warned motorists about the dangers of driving while drowsy and said it’s vital to recognize when to stop and get some sleep.
“They’ve done studies that show fatigue driving can be just as dangerous as impaired driving,” Roden said. “So it’s important that we take the steps necessary to prevent fatigue driving, whether that be driving with somebody who can help us to stay awake and planning stops if necessary.”
There is no substitute for rest, Roden added. Doing things like rolling down the windows or turning up the radio are less effective than sleeping.
“Sometimes the best thing for us is to do is just stop and rest in a safe location,” Roden said.
The incident closed SR-9 for three hours while UHP investigated and cleared the scene.
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