Representative Brady Brammer proposes the following substitute bill:


1     
VEHICLE MERGER AMENDMENTS

2     
2022 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Brady Brammer

5     
Senate Sponsor: Daniel McCay

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies traffic code provisions relating to vehicle merging.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     requires an operator of a vehicle to use the zipper method when two traffic lanes
13     merge into one traffic lane.
14     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
15          None
16     Other Special Clauses:
17          None
18     Utah Code Sections Affected:
19     ENACTS:
20          41-6a-903.1, Utah Code Annotated 1953
21     

22     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
23          Section 1. Section 41-6a-903.1 is enacted to read:
24          41-6a-903.1. Right-of-way -- Zipper merge.
25          (1) As used in this section:

26          (a) "Merge point" means the point at which two traffic lanes merge into one traffic
27     lane.
28          (b) "Zipper method" means a method of merging vehicles at a merge point that
29     involves the operators of the merging vehicles:
30          (i) using both lanes of traffic until the vehicles reach the merge point; and
31          (ii) once the vehicles reach the merge point, alternating yielding the right-of-way into
32     the single traffic lane.
33          (2) An operator of a vehicle shall use the zipper method when merging at a congested
34     merge point.
35          (3) A violation of this section is an infraction.