[The headline and one sentence in this article have been edited to correct the address.]
A two-vehicle impact at about 9:45 a.m., on Thursday, April 6, slowed traffic on Center Street and resulted in one individual being transported to the hospital. The crash occurred at the intersection of Center and North 100 East, along the curve between the Iron Horse Restaurant and the Kanab Center. According to Utah Highway Patrol, who maintains jurisdiction along Center as part of Highway 89, the crash was caused by a Buick Enclave turning left off 100 N. to head south, where it impacted the right side of a Toyota Forerunner.
Both vehicles were occupied by only their respective drivers with no passengers, and injuries were limited - the driver of the Buick was transported to the hospital with only minor injuries, and the driver of the Toyota was unharmed.
The northbound lanes of Center were closed while the incident was addressed by local law enforcement, with responders from the Kanab City Police Department and Highway Patrol directing traffic along the two remaining lanes of the road. With the aid of Ramsay Towing services, the incident was cleaned up within about an hour and traffic resumed as normal.
According to law enforcement sources, Highway 89 and 89A are the most likely locations for incidents such as this one by a significant margin; the road is one of the most populous in the area, it proceeds through high traffic spots like the curves where it doubles as Kanab’s Center street and the intersections where it doubles as Fredonia’s Main Street, and it is by far the road most frequently traveled by visitors who are unaware of the geography and city layouts of the area.
Drivers are encouraged to drive defensively, keep their eyes on the road and don’t permit distractions like texting while driving - good advice in general, and especially higher traffic routes like Highway 89.
