Bicycle Accident Claims in Utah

A bicycle rider has all the rights and is subject to the traffic rules of other vehicle operators. Drivers may not knowingly, intentionally or recklessly operate a motor vehicle within three feet of a bicyclist or other vulnerable road user. Cyclists slower than traffic ride as near as practicable to the right edge (with exceptions) and may ride no more than two abreast. On sidewalks, cyclists must yield to pedestrians and give an audible signal before passing, and adults 18 and older may not ride where a sign or ordinance prohibits it. Utah's helmet law for riders under 21 covers electric assisted bicycles but not ordinary bicycles.

Modified comparative fault (50% bar). An injured person can recover from defendants whose combined fault (together with immune persons and nonparties to whom fault is assigned) exceeds the injured person's own fault. If the injured person is 50% or more at fault, they recover nothing. Each defendant pays only its own share of fault.

For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, minimum liability coverage is $30,000 for bodily injury or death of one person, $65,000 for two or more people in one accident, and $25,000 for property damage (or a $90,000 combined single limit). Utah is a no-fault state: policies must include personal injury protection (PIP) of at least $3,000 per person for medical expenses, plus lost-income and household-services benefits. A person with PIP coverage may sue for general damages (such as pain and suffering) only for death, dismemberment, permanent disability or impairment, permanent disfigurement, a bone fracture, or medical expenses over $3,000.

Utah's statutes do not list a specific deadline for ordinary negligence personal injury claims. They fall under the four-year limit for relief "not otherwise provided for by law." Claims against the state, a political subdivision, or their employees for injury to personal rights have a two-year limit.