Distracted driving is a pervasive problem on American roadways, including in Utah, and more states are cracking down.

The big picture: Around 3,300 people died nationwide in crashes attributed to distracted driving in 2022, while another 289,000 were injured, according to the latest available National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.

• Over 62,000 crashes involved distracted cellphone use in 2022 alone, NHTSA says.

Zoom in: Over the past decade, Utah traffic fatalities caused by distracted driving have fluctuated, according to figures collected by the state.

• Utah saw a steady decline in distracted driving deaths from 2016 to 2019 before they started climbing again.
• Last year, 22 people died due to distracted driving. 2024's numbers are unchanged from 2023 and up one from 2022.

What they're saying: "Those figures are severely underreported," Kristen Hoschouer, Utah Department of Transportation's safety outreach administrator, told Axios.

• "We believe that there's probably a lot more distracted driving. It's just no one's going to confess to it," she said.
• Hoschouer said cars are becoming easier to drive, giving drivers a false sense of security when they take their eyes off the road.
• Until vehicles become fully autonomous, drivers need to pay attention, she noted.

The latest: Iowa recently became the 31st state to prohibit any handheld cellphone use behind the wheel, with Gov. Kim Reynolds saying: "This legislation will save lives."

• Nearly all U.S. states ban texting while driving, per the Governors Highway Safety Association, though their enforcement rules differ.
• Under Utah law, drivers are prohibited from using cellphones while driving.

State of play: U.S. traffic deaths per 100,000 people peaked in the 1930s and total deaths peaked in 1972, then gradually declined thanks to vehicle improvements, better infrastructure and public safety campaigns.

• But the rate of crash deaths started rising again about a decade ago, spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bottom line: "The cognitive challenges that one faces while distracted when driving, it's almost like being drunk," NSC executive VP of safety leadership and advocacy Mark Chung told Axios

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FEMA lifted a hold this week on $38 million in grants meant to help community radio stations upgrade their equipment, including one in Salt Lake City, after a federal lawsuit was filed over the freeze.

Catch up quick: A nearly $500,000 grant was awarded to KRCL in November that would have allowed it to get reimbursed for making enhancements to its emergency alert system.

Yes, but: KRCL was notified in February that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which was supposed to administer the funding, no longer had access to the money amid the Trump administration's crackdown on federal grants and public spending.

• CPB sued FEMA in March over the freeze "to protect public media stations from financial harm," Kathy Merritt, a representative for the group, said in a statement, per the AP.

Between the lines: The award was part of the Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant program.

What they're saying: "In times of disaster, the American people need to know they can depend on public media to be there in their communities, providing emergency alerts and essential information," CPB's president and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a statement Thursday after announcing new awards for stations in Louisiana, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

• "These grants fund critical infrastructure that ensures our stations can warn people to take cover, seek higher ground, and head for safety," Harrison said.

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🏃‍♂️ More than 10,000 people participated in Saturday's Salt Lake City Marathon. (Salt Lake Tribune)

• James Wenzel, 29, of Ogden, came in first, finishing the course in two hours and 30 minutes.

⏪ The Trump administration reversed the termination of thousands of foreign students' visas Friday after many filed lawsuits challenging the revocations. (Politico)

🤝 Two political parties — The Utah United Party and the Forward Party — voted Saturday to merge. Both parties seek to attract voters who feel adrift politically. (FOX 13)

Smith's Food and Drug reigns supreme among other grocers in Salt Lake City.

You tell us: What's your favorite grocery store in the area?