Utah Car Accident Laws, in Plain English

Four years — but the government clock is much shorter

Utah gives most personal injury lawsuits four years from the date of injury (Utah Code 78B-2-307) — longer than many states. But wrongful death is two years, and if a government entity is involved — a city vehicle, a UTA bus, a state road defect — the Governmental Immunity Act requires a written notice of claim within one year (63G-7-402). Miss that and the claim is generally gone. Waiting is still costly: witnesses scatter and video gets erased long before any deadline.

The 50% bar: modified comparative negligence

Utah follows modified comparative negligence (78B-5-818): you can recover as long as your share of fault is less than the other party's — recovery is barred once you're 50% or more at fault — with any award reduced by your percentage. It's exactly why insurers push so hard to shift blame onto you.

Dogs and lane filtering

Utah's dog-bite law is strict liability (18-1-1): an owner is liable for injuries their dog causes regardless of the dog's history, and the victim doesn't have to prove the dog was ever vicious. For riders, Utah has allowed lane filtering since May 2019 (41-6a-1112) — past stopped traffic, on roads posted 45 mph or less, at 15 mph or less, where there are two or more lanes each way. Lane splitting through moving traffic stays illegal.

Reporting a crash — and the first offer

Utah requires calling police for a crash involving injury, death, or property damage over $2,500, and a report to the Utah DPS within 10 days (41-6a-401/402). On any claim, first offers often arrive before the damage is fully known — a participating Utah law firm can review an offer for free at the Utah personal injury hub.

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