Utah Speed Limits, Laws, and Penalties
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The following is an overview of the laws, restrictions, and penalties associated with traffic violations in Utah.
Speed limits in Utah
Utah has one of the highest speed limits in the United States at 80 miles per hour.
80 mph: rural highways
75 mph: other restricted roads
65-70 mph: urban interstates
55 mph: other highways and roads unless otherwise noted.
25 mph: urban and residential areas
20 mph: reduced speed school zones
Utah code at reasonable and reasonable speed
The law of maximum speed:
According to section 41-6a-601 of the UT Motor Vehicle Code, "A person may not operate a vehicle at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under existing conditions, taking into account existing and potential hazards."
Minimum speed law:
Sections 41-6a-605 and 41-6a-701 state:
"A person may not operate a motor vehicle at such a low speed as to interfere with or block normal and reasonable traffic."
"A person traveling at a slower speed than normal should drive in the right lane available for traffic, or as close as possible to the right curb or edge of the carriageway."
Due to differences in speedometer calibration, tire size, and inaccuracies in speed detection technology, it is rare for an officer to stop a driver for speeding less than five miles. However, technically, any excess can be considered a speed violation, so it is recommended not to go beyond the established limits.
Utah has prima facie speed laws. This means that it is assumed that the driver is violating the speed law, however, the driver can claim that he was driving safely despite exceeding the speed limit. Alternatively, the driver may go to court and plead not guilty on the basis of one of the following:
The driver may object to the determination of the speed. To qualify for this protection, the driver must know how his or her speed was determined and then learn to disprove its accuracy.
The driver may claim that, due to an emergency, the driver violated the speed limit to prevent injury or damage to himself or others.
The driver may report a case of misidentification. If a police officer records a driver speeding and subsequently has to find him again in a traffic jam, he may have made a mistake and stopped the wrong car.
Speeding ticket in Utah
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $870
Be sentenced to up to 90 days in prison
Suspend license for up to one year
Reckless driving ticket in Utah
In Utah, there is no speed limit where breaking the speed limit is considered reckless driving. This definition depends on the circumstances surrounding the infringement.
First-time offenders may:
Be fined up to $1,000
Be sentenced to six months in prison
Suspend license for up to one year
Violators can reduce fines or points by taking a safe driving course.
