MORAN, Wyo. — On June 21, a southbound driver in Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) struck a snow pole after failing to negotiate a curve and maintaining control of their vehicle at the top of Snake River Hill.
The driver of the vehicle was under 18. According to the responding officer, the windshield was damaged from the fiberglass snow pole and a citation was issued to the father of the driver, who was operating a separate vehicle.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), motor vehicle crashes are the second leading cause of unintentional fatalities in national parks and one person dies in a motor vehicle crash every week on NPS roadways. This past November, an Australian woman died in a motor vehicle accident in GTNP.
“‘Driving safely in our National Parks’ means more than just driving the speed limit; it means obeying traffic regulations, wearing seatbelts and paying attention to the road,” the NPS says.
