CALL/TXT UTAH CAR ACCIDENT ATTORNEY JAKE GUNTER (801) 373-6345
LEFT-HAND TURN CAR ACCIDENTS IN UTAH—WHO IS AT-FAULT?

The General Rule. The general rule is that the left-hand turning car must yield to oncoming traffic.
Exceptions to the Rule. There several different fact specific exceptions to the general rule that the left-hand turning car is at-fault for intersection collision, here are few:

(1). The oncoming car ran red light. Oncoming traffic often runs red lights and are not caught for it because there are no other witnesses except you and the oncoming car. If you have solid witnesses stating that the oncoming car ran the red light, you win.

(2). Speeding oncoming car. If the oncoming car was accelerating through the intersection in hopes of beating the red light, you can win these cases. Again, you are going to need eye-witnesses outside of the two drivers to win this case. These eye-witnesses are bystanders or other vehicles who gave witness statements.

(3). Other cars stopped. When you have witnesses from other oncoming cars that stopped, while the at-fault car ran through the intersection late, you can win.

(4). Property damage location. Not always, but sometimes the location of the property damage on each vehicle can indicate how the intersection collision occurred.

Controlling Utah Traffic Code Statute on Left-Hand Turn Car Accidents in Utah

Utah Traffic Code 41-6a-903 is the general governing statute concerning how left-hand turning vehicles shall conduct themselves at intersections.

The rule in the left-hand turn statutes requires the left-hand turning vehicle to yield to oncoming traffic when:

The oncoming car is so close as to constitute an “immediate hazard.” Meaning oncoming traffic is going to hit you and you can’t complete your traffic turn timely. What an “immediate hazard” is ultimately up to the jury to decide.

You are entering a roadway, you have to yield to cross-traffic. You must make your turn carefully enough to not allow cross-traffic to collide with you.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN IN A UTAH INTERSECTION CAR ACCIDENT CALL/TXT JAKE GUNTER (801) 373-6345. FREE CONSULT. YOU DON’T PAY UNLESS YOU RECEIVE COMPENSATION.

HERE IS THE CURRENT LEFT-HAND TURNING TRAFFIC CODE STATUTE IN UTAH

Effective 5/12/2015

41-6a-903. Yield right-of-way — Vehicle turning left — Entering or crossing highway other than from another roadway — Merging lanes.

(1) The operator of a vehicle:
(a) intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction which is so close to the turning vehicle as to constitute an immediate hazard;
(b) about to enter or cross a highway from any place other than another highway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching on the highway to be entered or crossed; and
(c) traveling in a lane that is about to merge into a continuing lane, shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles traveling in the continuing lane and which are so close as to be an immediate hazard.
(2) A violation of Subsection (1) is an infraction.

New Legislation on Left-Hand Turn VETOED by Governor Cox 03/21/2024.

The below amendments to the left-hand turn statute in the Utah Traffic Code was vetoed by Utah Governor Cox on 03/21/2024. The vetoed legislation reads:

Section 1. Section 41-6a-903 is amended to read:
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41-6a-903. Yield right-of-way — Vehicle turning left — Entering or crossing
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highway other than from another roadway — Merging lanes.
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(1)The operator of a vehicle:
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(a) except as provided in Subsection (2), intending to turn to the left shall yield the
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right-of-way to any vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction which
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is so close to the turning vehicle operator as to constitute an immediate hazard;
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(b)about to enter or cross a highway from any place other than another highway shall
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yield the right-of-way to all vehicles vehicle operators approaching on the highway
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to be entered or crossed; and
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(c)traveling in a lane that is about to merge into a continuing lane, shall yield the
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right-of-way to all vehicles vehicle operators traveling in the continuing lane and
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which are so close as to be an immediate hazard.
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(2) The operator of a vehicle intending to turn to the left at an intersection is not required to
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yield the right-of-way to a vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction if
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the vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction fails to stop when required
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to stop by a stop sign or steady red signal at that intersection.
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(2) (3) A violation of Subsection (1) is an infraction.