For the most part, driving laws remain pretty stable. However, there can be changes from year to year that is important for you to know. There are even some laws that pertain to you only when you’re a certain age, drive a certain type of car, or other qualifying factors. You need to stay aware of the driving laws in your city and state to stay safe and legal on the roadways. Accidents happen constantly, and the best thing you can do is to educate yourself and drive defensively to stay safe.
Driver’s education courses are critical, but for many drivers, it has been a very long time since you sat down to learn the current laws of your state. Our attorneys at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks deal with car accidents and driving laws every single day, so today we’re sharing all of the laws you need to know if you drive in Utah.
- Seatbelts – seatbelts are required of all drivers and passengers. A driver can be ticketed for anyone under the age of 19 not wearing a proper restraint in their vehicle.
- Devices– texting while driving is illegal in the state of Utah, and the fines are severe. You can talk on the phone in the state of Utah, but it is prohibited to manipulate your device in any way. That means you can’t find or dial a number while driving your vehicle. The same common sense applies to other smart devices in your vehicle such as tablets.
- License & Registration – You are required to have a driver’s license in the state of Utah if you have a permanent home, business, enroll in residential programs such as public schools, or if you’ve lived here for more than six months.
- Trailers & RVs – all trailers and anything towed behind your vehicle must be properly secured and you will be held accountable for any damage or injury due to improperly securing your loads of any kind. It is illegal to ride in a fifth-wheel trailer unit in the state of Utah.
- Motorcycles – Utah requires all motorcycle drivers under the age of 21 to wear a properly fitting helmet for safety and protection. Lane splitting, or driving between lanes of traffic, is illegal while driving a motorcycle.
- Youth – 16-year-old drivers must complete a driver’s education course that includes day and night driving hours with an adult while in possession of a learner’s permit. Sixteen-year-old drivers are also forbidden from driving between midnight at 5:00 am, except for rare exceptions. For six months after obtaining their license, new teen drivers are not allowed to have friends in their vehicle.
These laws are intended to keep all drivers safe on the roads in Utah. Do your best to stay aware of traffic laws and obey all traffic signs you observe. If you do find yourself involved in an accident on Utah roads, don’t hesitate to call the offices of Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks for accident and injury representation.