Being hit by a car while riding a bicycle in Utah can leave you facing injuries, medical bills, a damaged bike, and uncertainty about what to do next. You may also have questions about who caused the crash and which insurance company should pay your expenses.
What you do after the accident can affect both your recovery and any insurance or personal injury claim that follows. Knowing your options can help you make informed decisions without adding more confusion to an already difficult situation.
This guide explains what to do immediately after a bicycle accident, how Utah determines fault, what insurance may apply, what happens if the driver leaves the scene, what compensation may be available, and when speaking with a lawyer may make sense.
What Should You Do After a Car Hits Your Bicycle in Utah?
The moments after a bicycle accident can be confusing, especially if you are injured. Focus first on your safety and health. Then, if you are able, take steps to document what happened.
1. Get to a Safe Location
If you are in immediate danger from traffic, move to safety if you can do so without putting yourself at greater risk. If you may have a serious injury, avoid unnecessary movement and wait for emergency help when appropriate.
2. Call 911 and Report the Crash
Report the collision and ask for emergency assistance if needed. A police report can document important details about the crash and may later help when dealing with insurance companies or determining fault.
3. Get Medical Attention
Seek appropriate medical care even if an injury does not seem serious at first. Some accident-related symptoms may not be obvious immediately.
4. Exchange Information With the Driver
If possible, collect the driver’s:
- Name and contact information
- Insurance information
- License plate number
- Vehicle make and model
5. Document the Scene
If you can do so safely, take photos or videos of your bicycle, the vehicle, visible injuries, road conditions, traffic signs or signals, debris, and the surrounding intersection or crash area.
6. Get Witness Information
Ask witnesses for their names and contact details. Their accounts may help clarify how the collision occurred.
7. Preserve Your Bicycle and Other Evidence
Keep your damaged bicycle, helmet, clothing, and other relevant items. Avoid repairing or throwing them away before determining whether they may be useful as evidence.
Who Is at Fault When a Car Hits a Bicycle in Utah?
Fault in a Utah bicycle accident depends on how the collision happened and whether either person failed to follow applicable traffic laws or use reasonable care. The fact that a motor vehicle struck a bicycle does not, by itself, decide who was responsible.
A driver may be at fault, for example, if they:
- Failed to yield to a cyclist
- Made an unsafe turn or lane change
- Ran a red light or stop sign
- Drove while distracted
- Followed a cyclist too closely
- Opened a vehicle door into a cyclist’s path
- Failed to provide required space when passing
A cyclist’s actions can also affect the fault analysis if the cyclist violated an applicable traffic rule or otherwise contributed to the crash.
Importantly, a driver is not automatically at fault simply because a car hit a bicycle. Likewise, a cyclist is not automatically responsible simply because they were riding outside a bike lane.
Insurance companies may review the police report, witness statements, photos, video footage, vehicle and bicycle damage, and the applicable traffic laws when determining fault. Because every collision happens differently, understanding Utah’s rules for both motorists and cyclists can be an important part of evaluating a bicycle accident claim.
What Utah Bicycle Laws Can Affect Your Accident Claim?
Utah law gives cyclists important rights on the road, but cyclists also have responsibilities. Under Utah Code §41-6a-1102, a person operating a bicycle generally has the rights and is subject to the traffic provisions that apply to other vehicle operators, except where the law provides otherwise.
Bicycles and Road Position
When traveling slower than normal traffic, Utah law generally directs cyclists to ride as near as practicable to the right-hand edge of the roadway. However, there are important exceptions, including when passing, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding unsafe conditions such as parked vehicles, pedestrians, surface hazards, or a lane too narrow to safely share.
That means riding outside a bike lane or away from the far-right edge does not automatically establish fault.
Passing a Bicycle
Utah law treats bicyclists as vulnerable highway users. Drivers must operate with due care around them, and Utah’s vulnerable-user statute includes rules addressing unsafe operation near cyclists.
Turns and Intersections
Right-of-way, traffic signals, lane position, and safe turning can become especially important at intersections. Utah law also requires drivers to determine that a lane movement can be made safely before changing lanes.
What If You Were Partly at Fault for the Bicycle Accident?
Being partly responsible for a bicycle accident does not necessarily prevent you from recovering damages in Utah.
Utah follows a comparative negligence system. Under Utah Code §78B-5-818, an injured person can recover from a defendant or group of defendants when the fault attributed to those parties, together with a certain other allocated fault, exceeds the injured person’s own share of fault. A defendant’s liability is also generally limited according to the proportion of fault attributed to that defendant.
For example, suppose a cyclist suffers $100,000 in damages and is found 20% at fault, while the defendant is responsible for the remaining 80%. The cyclist’s recovery could be reduced to reflect the cyclist’s share of responsibility.
Fault disputes are common in bicycle accidents. An insurer might argue that the cyclist’s speed, road position, failure to yield, or another action contributed to the crash. This is why evidence such as photos, witness statements, video footage, and the police report can become important when determining what actually happened.
What Evidence Can Help After a Bicycle Accident?
Good evidence can help show how a bicycle accident happened, who may have been responsible, and how the crash affected you.
Depending on the circumstances, useful evidence may include:
- Police or accident reports
- Photos and videos of the crash scene
- Driver and insurance information
- Witness statements and contact details
- Nearby surveillance or dashcam footage
- Medical records and bills
- The damaged bicycle and helmet
- Damaged clothing, phones, or other property
- Phone, GPS, or cycling-app data when relevant
- Records of missed work and accident-related expenses
Try to preserve relevant evidence rather than repairing, replacing, or discarding it immediately. Evidence can disappear quickly. Surveillance footage may be overwritten, witnesses can become harder to locate, and damaged property may be repaired or thrown away.
Keeping organized records can make it easier to understand what happened and document your injuries and financial losses if an insurance or personal injury claim follows.
Who Pays Medical Bills After a Bicycle Accident in Utah?
If you were riding a bicycle when a car hit you, you may wonder how your medical bills will be paid, especially if you do not have your own auto insurance.There is no single answer that applies to every bicycle accident.
Depending on your circumstances, potential sources of coverage may include:
- Applicable auto or PIP coverage
- The at-fault driver’s liability insurance
- Your own or a household member’s auto insurance, where applicable
- Health insurance
- Uninsured motorist coverage
- Underinsured motorist coverage
- Other insurance that applies to the accident
Utah’s PIP laws can cover certain pedestrians injured in motor-vehicle accidents, and Utah law defines a pedestrian for this part of the insurance code to include a person riding a bicycle. However, which insurer provides applicable PIP benefits depends on the circumstances and statutory priority rules.
If another driver caused the collision, that driver’s liability coverage may also become important. When the driver has no insurance or not enough coverage to address the losses, applicable uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage may need to be considered.
Because several policies can potentially be involved, identifying the right source of coverage is an important part of a bicycle injury claim.
What Compensation Can You Recover After a Bicycle Accident?
Depending on fault, insurance coverage, the severity of the injuries, and other circumstances, an injured cyclist may be able to pursue compensation for several types of losses.
Medical Expenses: A claim may include qualifying medical costs from the accident as well as reasonably supported future treatment needs related to the injuries.
Lost Income and Earning Capacity: If your injuries cause you to miss work, lost income may be part of the claim. Serious or permanent injuries that reduce your ability to earn income in the future may also be relevant.
Bicycle and Property Damage: Compensation may include damage to your bicycle and other personal property, such as a helmet, clothing, or phone.
Pain and Suffering: Some qualifying claims can include compensation for the physical pain, discomfort, and non-economic effects caused by accident-related injuries.
Permanent Injuries or Disability: When a bicycle accident causes lasting impairment or disability, the long-term impact of that injury may also affect the damages being pursued.
The amount and types of compensation available depend on the evidence and circumstances of each case.
What If the Driver Who Hit You Leaves the Scene?
A bicycle hit-and-run in Utah can create additional challenges, but there are still steps you can take to document the crash and explore your options.
If the driver leaves the scene:
- Call the police and report the accident.
- Write down anything you remember about the vehicle, including its color, make, model, license plate, or direction of travel.
- Get names and contact information from witnesses.
- Look for nearby homes, businesses, traffic cameras, or vehicles that may have recorded the crash.
- Take photos of the scene, your bicycle, and other relevant evidence.
- Seek appropriate medical attention.
- Notify any potentially applicable insurer promptly.
If police cannot identify the driver, uninsured motorist coverage may become relevant in some circumstances, depending on the applicable policies and facts.
Preserving information early can be especially useful because video footage and other evidence may not remain available indefinitely.
What If the Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
If the driver who hit your bicycle does not have auto insurance, you may still have options. Uninsured motorist (UM) coverage can apply in certain circumstances when an at-fault driver has no applicable liability insurance.
A different problem occurs when the driver has insurance, but the available liability limits are not enough to cover the losses caused by a serious accident. In that situation, underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage may become relevant.
Which coverage applies depends on the insurance policies, your circumstances, and the facts of the collision. This can be particularly important for cyclists who may have access to coverage through their own or a qualifying household auto policy.
How Long Do You Have to File a Bicycle Accident Claim in Utah?
Utah law imposes deadlines on personal injury claims, but the applicable deadline can depend on who caused the accident and other circumstances.
For many negligence-based personal injury claims, Utah law generally provides a four-year limitation period. Utah Code §78B-2-307 includes a four-year period for an action for injury to the rights of another when the claim is not otherwise specifically provided for by law.
However, you should not assume every bicycle accident comes with four years. Different rules and much shorter notice requirements can apply in certain situations, particularly when a claim involves a Utah governmental entity. Claims involving death or other special circumstances can also have different deadlines.
Because missing an applicable deadline can affect your ability to pursue a claim, it is worth identifying the correct limitation period early rather than waiting until the general deadline approaches.
When Should You Contact a Utah Bicycle Accident Lawyer?
Not every bicycle accident requires an attorney. Legal guidance may be useful, however, when the accident involves complicated injuries, insurance issues, or a disagreement over who caused the collision.
You may want to speak with a lawyer when:
- Your injuries are serious or long-lasting.
- Fault for the accident is disputed.
- Medical bills are substantial.
- The driver is uninsured or underinsured.
- Several insurance policies may apply.
- An insurer denies or undervalues the claim.
- Your injuries may require future medical treatment.
Salt Lake Injury Law can review how the bicycle accident happened, investigate potentially applicable insurance coverage, and help evaluate your injuries and damages. The firm can also handle communications with insurers and explain the legal options that may be available based on the circumstances of your case.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bicycle Accidents in Utah
Does a driver automatically have fault if they hit a cyclist?
No. Fault depends on how the accident happened and whether the driver, cyclist, or both contributed to the collision. Traffic signals, right-of-way rules, witness statements, video footage, and other evidence can help determine responsibility.
Can I make a claim if I was not riding in a bike lane?
Potentially. Riding outside a bike lane does not automatically make a cyclist responsible for an accident. Utah law allows cyclists to use roadways subject to applicable traffic rules, and the circumstances of the collision still determine fault.
What if I was not wearing a helmet when the car hit me?
Not wearing a helmet does not automatically determine who caused the collision. However, the facts surrounding helmet use and the injuries involved may become relevant to certain arguments about damages. The effect, if any, depends on the circumstances and applicable Utah law.
Does car insurance cover a cyclist hit by a vehicle?
It can. Depending on the circumstances, PIP, the driver’s liability insurance, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, a cyclist’s or household member’s auto policy, and other coverage may become relevant.
What if I do not feel injured immediately after the bicycle accident?
Some accident-related symptoms may not be obvious right away. Pay attention to how you feel and seek appropriate medical attention if you experience pain, discomfort, or other concerning symptoms. Medical records can also document when symptoms and treatment began.
What happens if the driver leaves after hitting my bicycle?
Report the hit-and-run to police, seek appropriate medical attention, preserve evidence, look for witnesses or nearby cameras, and notify any applicable insurer. If the driver cannot be identified, uninsured motorist coverage may be relevant depending on the circumstances and available policies.
Can I still recover damages if I was partly responsible?
Potentially. Utah uses a comparative-fault system, so being partly responsible does not always prevent recovery. However, your share of fault can reduce the damages you may recover, and recovery can be barred when your allocated fault reaches the level specified under Utah law.