Utah: Cheat Sheet

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Road signs

Regulatory signs cover directions, lane use, turning, speed, parking, and other special situations.
Lane Ends is the handbook’s label for a yellow diamond sign that shows two vertical lines, one of which bends in toward the other.
Guide signs direct you to cities and towns and mark points of interest and services such as hospitals and service stations.
The handbook lists all stop signs among the times you must make a complete stop.
The handbook says not to turn opposite the arrow and never to drive the wrong way on a one-way street.
Merging Traffic is the handbook’s label for a yellow diamond sign that shows a straight arrow pointing up with a short line joining it from the lower right.
Traffic Signal Ahead is the handbook’s label for a yellow diamond sign that shows three stacked lights in red, yellow, and green.
U.S. Route is the handbook’s label for a black sign that shows a white shield with the number 40 on it.

Sign shapes and colors

Work zone signs are orange diamonds or rectangles with black letters or symbols.

Traffic signals

The handbook tells you not to stop the vehicle in the intersection.
A rolling stop is not adequate: you must come to a complete stop at a steady red light and at a flashing red light.
Traffic controls also include directions from law enforcement, highway workers, and school crossing guards.
A red light means you must stop before entering the intersection and wait behind the stop line, crosswalk, or intersection.
Some lanes carry traffic in one direction at one time and the other direction at another time, so you check which lanes are open before entering.
Know what the traffic signals mean and obey them at all times.

Right-of-way, turning and passing

The handbook starts its roundabout steps with slowing down as you approach.
You must finish the turn in the lane that corresponds to the lane you started from.
Seeing the rear tires of the vehicle ahead means you have kept a safe gap.
Drivers coming from a driveway or private road yield to drivers on the public road.
The handbook says never to make a U-turn on a railroad track or railroad grade crossing.
Stop lines give larger vehicles room to turn, so you should always stop behind them.
You look left, right and then left again before entering the intersection.

Alcohol and drugs

The handbook says never to let a friend or relative drive after drinking.
Driving while suspended or revoked for refusing a chemical test (among other listed reasons) may get your vehicle impounded.
A start attempt at 0.02 or higher extends the requirement by 60 days for each occurrence.
The status begins on the effective date of the revocation or suspension for the offense.
Reinstatement after a Not-a-Drop suspension requires an assessment and recommendation from a substance abuse program.
An alcohol-restricted driver with any measurable or detectable alcohol in the body faces mandatory revocation.

Speed and space

The handbook reminds drivers that skidding can also happen on wet roads.
A curve or hill that blocks your view is one of the situations where you must never pass.
The rule against driving faster than the posted limit also applies to getting off the freeway.
The handbook advises staying close to the right edge of the road to avoid oncoming traffic.
A wet roadway calls for a longer distance behind a motorcycle, because riders may change speed or lane position suddenly.
Always obey posted speed limits and, if needed, reduce your speed to adjust for weather, road, and traffic conditions.
On a highway, a street-legal ATV/UTV is capped at the lower of the posted limit and 50 miles per hour.

Licensing basics

All drivers who want to change their address must provide two approved forms of address change verification.
A driving skills test with a Third-Party Tester or high school requires being at least 15 years old.
You will not be asked to do anything unsafe or illegal during the driving skills test.
For a limited-term driver license or identification card, the passport, visa and I-94 are verified through the SAVE system.

Health and driving

Privileges are withdrawn only if the division finds the driver cannot drive safely under any conditions; restrictions are used otherwise.

Vehicle controls and equipment

Required headlights must be white.
A head check is done when necessary, for example for a lane change or merging.
Spilled gasoline evaporates and pollutes the air, so you should avoid spills and overfills at the gas station.
Vehicles 30 feet or longer need an extra amber reflector at the center of each side.

Pavement markings

Dedicated bicycle lanes are marked with solid white lines.
Maintaining lane integrity means staying in your designated lane and keeping off curbs and sidewalks.
Markings divide lanes, show where to pass, mark turn lanes and crosswalks, and show where to stop for signs or signals.
Crossing a double white line is illegal.

Freeway driving

Vehicles with two or more persons may use the express lanes as a carpool lane for free.
Staying in the left lane while a vehicle follows you can earn a citation for impeding traffic.
The signs help keep drivers from entering a ramp against traffic.

Parking rules

Park as far from traffic as possible, and close to the curb when there is one.
The back wheel must be no further than 12 inches from the curb.
Parking within 50 feet of a railroad crossing is not allowed unless signs or local law permit it.
Red-painted curbs and red zones are places where parking is not allowed.

Railroad and light rail crossings

The same rules apply at light rail crossings as at any other train crossing.
You stop as soon as the lights flash, before the gates come down across your lane.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians can move into your path while you back up, so be extra cautious.
Tracks should be crossed only at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings, obeying all warning signs and signals.
Children can run out between parked vehicles with little warning.

Sharing the road

A Class 2 electric-assisted bicycle may be propelled by the motor alone, with assistance ending at 28 mph.
On a hill a large vehicle can stall or roll backward, so leave room between you and it.
A bicyclist who keeps both hands on the handlebars may show intent by turning the head or looking over the shoulder.
A tractor-trailer should always be passed completely and on the left side.
The handbook advises using caution at dawn and dusk because animals are most active then.

Seat belts and child safety

Utah makes it an infraction to be stopped for smoking in a vehicle with children 15 or younger aboard.
You may be stopped and cited if anyone under 16 years of age is unrestrained.
The shoulder harness goes across the shoulder and chest and is pulled snug, never under the arm or behind the back.

Distractions, fatigue and aggressive driving

Give yourself time to cool off, and keep off the road until the feelings have passed.
A texting conviction leads to suspension when the judge orders it.
The handbook defines a distraction as anything that takes your mind or body away from driving, and says distractions can cause crashes, injuries and deaths.
The handbook says officers may pull a driver over if they observe the driver texting.

Emergencies and crashes

Providing the required information to a police officer at the scene exempts the operator from giving it to the others involved.
Even on front-wheel drive vehicles, all four wheels should have snow or all-season tires.
With a stuck gas pedal, you shift to neutral, then look for a safe place to pull off, steer smoothly and brake gently.
Warning devices are required when a vehicle at least 80 inches wide or 30 feet long is disabled or stopped along the road for more than 10 minutes.

Emergency vehicles and work zones

Unless on official business, you must stay back at least 500 feet from a fire vehicle responding to an alarm.
Sirens, whistles, and bells are limited to authorized emergency vehicles.

Insurance and financial responsibility

Comprehensive coverage is not required by law but may be required by a lien holder.

Points, suspension and revocation

Cancellation ends a license that was issued by error or fraud, or whose necessary consent was withdrawn.