Draper Motorcycle Accident Lawyer

Draper is a crossroads for riders. I-15 climbs over the Point of the Mountain between the Salt Lake and Utah valleys, Bangerter Highway ends at the freeway here, and Traverse Ridge Road switchbacks up the mountain toward SunCrest. In a few minutes a rider can go from freeway speed to a hairpin turn, surrounded by commuters who are watching the clock more than their mirrors.

Our office is on Bangerter Parkway in Draper, so these are roads we drive ourselves. When a driver hurts a rider here, the first job is to pin down what that driver could see, and when, before the insurer settles on its own story. For other kinds of injury cases in the city, see our Draper personal injury page.

Where Draper Riders Get Hurt

Most rider crashes in town start with a turning car. On 12300 South, a driver waiting to turn into a shopping center looks past an oncoming motorcycle and goes. Utah Code § 41-6a-903 requires a driver turning left to yield to any vehicle coming the other way that is close enough to be an immediate hazard, and a motorcycle is a vehicle like any other. The same section makes a driver pulling out of a driveway or parking lot yield to traffic already on the road.

Utah Rules Every Draper Rider Should Know

Lane filtering. Under Utah Code § 41-6a-704(6), a motorcycle may move up between lanes of stopped traffic at 15 mph or less, only where there are two or more lanes in the same direction and the limit is 45 mph or lower (or on a multi-lane off-ramp), and never on an on-ramp. That rules out the I-15 mainline through the Point of the Mountain. Our lane filtering guide walks through each condition.

Helmets. Riders under 21 must wear one. For adults it is a choice, and Utah Code § 41-6a-1505 says going without is not comparative negligence and cannot be put into evidence in a civil case on negligence, the injuries or mitigation of damages.

No PIP for the rider. A motorcycle policy is not required to include personal injury protection, and motorcycle operators are not covered by PIP for injuries while riding (Utah Code § 31A-22-302). Med-pay if you bought it, health insurance and the at-fault driver's liability coverage fill that gap. Our motorcycle claims guide covers the order in which they pay.

The other driver's limits. A policy issued or renewed since January 1, 2025 only has to carry $30,000 per person in bodily injury coverage (Utah Code § 31A-22-304), and one surgery can exceed that. Underinsured motorist coverage on your own policy can pick up where theirs stops; see how UIM works in Utah.

Time limits. Four years is the usual window for an injury suit and two years for wrongful death, but a claim against a government entity is barred unless a written notice of claim is filed within one year (Utah Code § 63G-7-402). The statute of limitations page lists each deadline.

Traverse Ridge Road and the Point of the Mountain

Traverse Ridge Road climbs from Draper's east bench in tight switchbacks toward SunCrest, with steep grades and blind curves where a car drifting over the center line leaves a rider nowhere to go. Down on I-15, the freeway bends over the Point of the Mountain near the county line, and stop-and-go backups around 14600 South set up rear-end hits on riders who have no bumper or crumple zone behind them.

Draper City Police take crash reports inside city limits, and the Utah Highway Patrol generally handles I-15. A crash near the Salt Lake and Utah county line can go to either agency, so get the agency name and case number before you leave. If you were in a car or truck instead, our Draper car accident page covers those claims.

How Draper Motorcycle Crashes Happen

A driver changing lanes on I-15 without checking the blind spot where the bike sits. A car pulling out of a lot along 12300 South or State Street. A driver on Bangerter rushing a merge where the highway meets the freeway. A vehicle cutting a curve on the climb to SunCrest. Gravel and lane shifts from construction around The Point come up too, and when a public road condition or work zone played a part, the one-year government notice deadline applies.

Injuries Riders Suffer

Head and brain injuries even with a helmet, broken wrists and collarbones from bracing for the fall, fractured legs and pelvises, road rash that needs skin grafts, and spinal injuries. Lone Peak Hospital on State Street in Draper has an emergency department, and Intermountain Medical Center in Murray is a Level I trauma center.

What an Injured Rider Can Recover

• Money losses: hospital and rehab bills, future treatment, lost income and earning capacity, and the cost to repair or replace the motorcycle, helmet and riding gear.
• Human losses: pain, anxiety, and the time taken from riding, work and family.
• Lasting-injury costs: ongoing care, equipment and changes to your home when an injury is permanent.
• Punitive damages: available only in rare cases of willful or reckless conduct, such as a driver who was impaired.

Answering the Biker-Bias Argument

Adjusters like to suggest the rider was speeding or weaving. Evidence gathered early answers that: photos of the scene and both vehicles, witness contacts, doorbell and business cameras along the retail corridors, and the other vehicle's event data. If you were filtering, each condition in § 41-6a-704(6) matters. Under Utah Code § 78B-5-818 you recover only if the other side's fault is greater than yours, and your share comes off the award. The steps in a Utah injury case explain what happens next.