Senator Michael K. McKell proposes the following substitute bill:


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VEHICLE ACCIDENT LIABILITY AMENDMENTS

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2024 GENERAL SESSION

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STATE OF UTAH

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Chief Sponsor: Andrew Stoddard

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Senate Sponsor: Michael K. McKell

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7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill clarifies that a vehicle operator intending to turn left is not required to yield the
10     right-of-way to a vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction that fails to
11     stop when required by a stop sign or steady red signal.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     clarifies that a vehicle operator intending to turn left is not required to yield the
15     right-of-way to a vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction that fails
16     to stop when required by a stop sign or steady red signal at the intersection; and
17          ▸     makes technical changes.
18     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19          None
20     Other Special Clauses:
21          None
22     Utah Code Sections Affected:
23     AMENDS:
24          41-6a-903, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 412
25     

26     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
27          Section 1. Section 41-6a-903 is amended to read:
28          41-6a-903. Yield right-of-way -- Vehicle turning left -- Entering or crossing
29     highway other than from another roadway -- Merging lanes.
30          (1) The operator of a vehicle:
31          (a) except as provided in Subsection (2), intending to turn to the left shall yield the
32     right-of-way to any vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction which is so close
33     to the turning vehicle operator as to constitute an immediate hazard;
34          (b) about to enter or cross a highway from any place other than another highway shall
35     yield the right-of-way to all [vehicles] vehicle operators approaching on the highway to be
36     entered or crossed; and
37          (c) traveling in a lane that is about to merge into a continuing lane, shall yield the
38     right-of-way to all [vehicles] vehicle operators traveling in the continuing lane and which are
39     so close as to be an immediate hazard.
40          (2) The operator of a vehicle intending to turn to the left at an intersection is not
41     required to yield the right-of-way to a vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction
42     if the vehicle operator approaching from the opposite direction fails to stop when required to
43     stop by a stop sign or steady red signal at that intersection.
44          [(2)] (3) A violation of Subsection (1) is an infraction.
45          Section 2. Effective date.
46          This bill takes effect on May 1, 2024.