Utah Driving Laws



Information on Utah driving laws and Utah traffic laws...

Mandatory Revocation of Your Driving Privilege

Your driver license will be revoked if a court finds you guilty of any of the following violations of Utah traffic laws:

  • Manslaughter or negligent homicide while driving.
  • A second or subsequent conviction for driving or being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated or while any measurable controlled substance or metabolite of a controlled substance is in your body (including prescribed medications).
  • Making a false statement under oath when applying for a driver license.
  • Using a motor vehicle to commit or facilitate a felony, including automobile homicide.
  • Failure to stop and give aid if you are involved in a motor vehicle crash resulting in the death of, or personal injury to another.
  • Two charges of reckless driving in one year. (The court may recommend that your license be suspended for three months on the first conviction.) Reckless driving is defined as operating a vehicle in a willful and/or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.
  • Attempting to flee or refusing to stop after receiving a visual or audible signal from a police officer.
  • Discharging or allowing the discharge of a firearm from a vehicle.
  • Using, allowing the use of, or causing to be used any explosive, chemical or incendiary device from a vehicle.
  • Driving with a measurable or detectable amount of alcohol in your system when you have an alcohol-restricted status.
  • Driving a vehicle without an ignition interlock device installed when you have an ignition interlock restricted status.

If you forfeit bail after being arrested for one of the offenses of Utah driving laws mentioned above, your driver license will be revoked/suspended as if you had appeared in court and been found guilty.



Suspension of Your Driving Privilege

Your driver license may be suspended under Utah driving law for as long as one year. The Division may suspend your driving privilege for any of the following reasons:

  1. Conviction of an offense for which mandatory suspension is required.
  2. You have, by reckless or unlawful conduct, caused or contributed to a crash in which someone was injured or killed or which resulted in serious property damage.
  3. You are incompetent to drive, or have a mental or physical condition that would make you an unsafe driver.
  4. You have used your license, or permitted its use by someone else, in an unlawful or fraudulent manner.
  5. You have refused to take or failed to pass a review examination as ordered by the Division.
  6. Conviction of sufficient violations of Utah driving laws to be subject to the Division Point System.
  7. You have been arrested for DUI or been found guilty of any drug offense.
  8. You operated or permitted to be operated a motor vehicle owned by you without the required security.
  9. You failed, as a Utah driver, to appear in court for a traffic violation when it occurred in Utah or in a Nonresident Violator Compact member state; or that you failed to satisfy fees, fines or restitution to the court on any criminal charge.
  10. You failed to show proof of no-fault insurance or other security as required under the Utah Automobile No-Fault Insurance Act.
  11. You operated a vehicle or allowed a vehicle registered to you to be operated without required insurance or proof of financial responsibility.

The Utah Point System

For Persons Over 21 Years of Age

In accordance with Utah driving laws, points are assigned for specific types of violations. If you acquire 200 or more points within a three-year period, you will be asked to appear for a hearing.

You may be placed on probation, requested to take the Defensive Driving Course or have your driving privilege suspended, based on that hearing. In accordance with Utah driving laws, and depending on your reocrd, the suspension may be for three months, six months or one year.

For Persons Under 21 Years of Age

If you are a Utah driver under the age of 21, you are subject to a stiffer point system. An accumulation of 70 points or more within a three-year period may result in a hearing and a subsequent suspension or denial of driving privileges from 30 days up to one year.

Distribution of Points Under Utah Driving Laws

  • Reckless Driving 80
  • Speeding (Depending on Severity) 35 to 75
  • Failure to Yield Right-of-Way 60
  • Following too Closely (Tailgating) 60
  • Wrong Side of Road 60
  • Wrong Way on One-way Street 60
  • Red Light 50
  • Stop Sign 50
  • Improper Lookout 50
  • Improper Passing 50
  • Negligent Collision 50
  • Other Moving Violations 40

NOTE: In accordance with Utah driving laws, points for violations of Utah traffic laws, except for speeding tickets, may vary plus or minus 10%, depending upon the recommendation of the court.

For more information on Utah driving laws, please visit the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles.

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