Contrary to the widespread myth about motorcycle accidents, motorcyclists are not always to blame for crashes. In fact, did you know that in more than 80 percent of all accidents involving a motorcyclist in the United States, the motorcyclist was not at fault for causing the crash?
We bet you didn’t. If you were surprised to hear this, then you will definitely appreciate it when our Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorney at Jardine Law Offices P.C., P.C., explains how Utah motorcycle laws work.
The laws governing motorcycle accidents in Utah are anything but easy to understand and digest. If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and are trying to make sense of things, we suggest you read our brief overview of motorcycle accident laws in Utah:
- Motorcyclists can carry passengers only when their motorcycle is built to carry more than one person (if a motorcyclist rides along with passengers, any passenger on the bike should not interfere with the rider’s ability to see the road or operate the bike);
- Motorcyclists in Utah are legally required to keep both hands on the handlebars, which means a motorcyclist is prohibited from holding any items in his or her hands while riding as long as his/her hands are not on the handlebars;
- Utah motorcyclists over the age of 18 are not required to wear a helmet (however, our Salt Lake City motorcycle accident attorney encourages you to wear a helmet for the sake of your own safety, even if you are older than 18);
- The act of not wearing a helmet cannot be used by the other party as “evidence” to establish the motorcyclist’s negligence or fault;
- The number of motorcyclists riding in a single lane cannot exceed two;
- Motorcyclists are legally prohibited from lane splitting in Utah (in other words, motorcyclists are not allowed to ride between lanes or rows of slowed or stopped traffic);
- The handlebars cannot be above shoulder height;
- In Utah, a motorcyclist cannot use his or her car insurance policy for coverage in the event of a motorcycle accident (unless the motorcyclist’s auto insurance policy includes coverage for motorcycles and it is clearly specified in the policy);
- In Utah, the personal injury protection (PIP) policy does not cover motorcycle riders (however, motorcycle passengers can be covered by the no-fault insurance policy);
- Under Utah law, a motorcycle rider must carry bodily injury coverage of at least $25,000 per person injured in the accident, at least $50,000 for all persons injured, and property damage coverage of at least $15,000;
- A motorcycle must be equipped with at least one side-view mirror;
- Motorcyclists in Utah are allowed to use modulated headlights and radar detectors;
- Motorcycles must be equipped with a muffler (though there is no maximum sound level set by Utah law);
- Regular safety inspection and proper maintenance of motorcyclists is required by law;
- Utah follows the modified comparative negligence doctrine, which means you can recover damages after a motorcycle accident only if you were less than 50 percent at fault for the accident.
This is only a brief overview of Utah motorcycle laws. If you want to learn more, get a free consultation from our motorcycle accident attorney Salt Lake City at Jardine Law Offices P.C., P.C. Let our skilled lawyers investigate your particular case, determine fault, and help you recover damages. Do not attempt to negotiate with the other party or insurance companies on your own, as they tend to be biased against motorcyclists. Get a free case evaluation by calling our offices at (801) 451-9555.
