Orem Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Walking in Orem often means crossing a road built for through traffic. Utah Valley University sits on the city's west side, and a 1,000-foot pedestrian bridge built by UDOT, UTA and UVU carries people over I-15, a frontage road and the rail lines between the campus and the Orem Central FrontRunner station. From that station, UTA's UVX bus rapid transit line runs along University Parkway past UVU toward University Place and Provo, and everyone who steps off a bus becomes a pedestrian again.

Off the bridge or the bus, people are back on wide arterials such as University Parkway and State Street, with long blocks between signals and drivers focused on parking entrances rather than people. That combination is where pedestrian crashes in the city tend to happen.

When a Driver Must Yield to You

Utah drivers must slow or stop for a pedestrian in a crosswalk on their half of the road, or approaching closely from the other half; they must stop completely at an occupied school crosswalk; and they may not pass a vehicle stopped to let someone cross (Utah Code § 41-6a-1002). Under Utah's definition, a crosswalk exists at an intersection even where nobody painted lines (§ 41-6a-102).

People on foot have duties too. Outside a marked crosswalk or an intersection crosswalk, a pedestrian must yield to vehicles, and between two adjacent intersections that both have working signals, a pedestrian may cross only in a marked crosswalk (§ 41-6a-1003). Insurers lean on that rule along signal-heavy stretches of State Street and University Parkway, but a driver who was speeding or looking elsewhere can still carry most of the fault. Our pedestrian guide goes deeper. For statewide crash figures and Utah crosswalk law, see our Utah pedestrian accident lawyer page.

Insurance That Can Pay

More than one policy may be involved:

• The driver's liability coverage, which answers for pain, lost income and future care once fault is shown. For policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2025, Utah's bodily injury minimums are $30,000 per person and $65,000 per accident (§ 31A-22-304), which a serious injury can exceed quickly.
• Your own auto policy's PIP, which may cover early medical bills and part of your lost wages even though you were on foot, depending on who your policy covers. See how Utah no-fault works.

If the driver fled or carried too little insurance, your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage may apply. If the vehicle never touched you, Utah requires clear and convincing proof that it existed, beyond your own testimony (Utah Code § 31A-22-305(6)), so report it to police right away and read our hit-and-run guide.

Shared Fault and Filing Deadlines

Your recovery drops by your percentage of fault and is barred if you are 50% or more at fault compared with the drivers combined (§ 78B-5-818). Most suits must be filed within four years, but if a UTA bus, a city or university vehicle, or a road or signal defect is involved, a notice of claim is due within one year (§ 63G-7-402). The full list is on our deadlines page.

Orem Crossings That Call for Care

University Parkway (SR-265), where UVX riders, UVU students and University Place shoppers cross a state highway lined with driveways. State Street (US-89), with older signals and long blocks between crossings. 800 North (SR-52), past Timpanogos Regional Hospital and east toward the Murdock Canal Trail's Lindon View trailhead at 1100 East. The Orem Central station area at 900 South 1350 West, where the UVX line begins and FrontRunner riders transfer. Signal-by-signal crash counts are ranked on our Orem dangerous intersections page.

Who writes the report: the Orem Police Department on city streets, the UVU Police Department on the Orem campus, and the Utah Highway Patrol on I-15. Ask for the agency and case number.

How Pedestrian Crashes Happen

Left-turning drivers watching for a gap in oncoming cars instead of the crosswalk, right-on-red drivers looking only to their left, vehicles backing out of retail stalls, drivers crossing the sidewalk to leave a parking lot, phones, and poor lighting on wide roads after dark. Winter adds low sun glare, early darkness and icy curb ramps.

Injuries on Foot

Leg and pelvic fractures at bumper height, head injuries from the hood or pavement, spinal and shoulder injuries, and broken wrists from the fall. Timpanogos Regional Hospital's 24-hour ER at 750 West 800 North is a state-designated Level III trauma center, and Utah Valley Hospital in Provo is a Level II center.

What a Claim Can Include

• Medical and wage losses: treatment now and later, time off work, and lost earning capacity.
• Human losses: pain, fear of crossing streets again, and the activities an injury takes away.
• Care for lasting injuries: therapy, equipment and help at home.
• Loss of a family member: when a crash is fatal. Our wrongful death guide explains that claim.

How Insurers Frame It

"Wasn't in a crosswalk," "stepped out between cars," "dark clothing," and then a fast offer. Signal timing, crosswalk markings, street lighting and nearby business or bus cameras frequently tell a different story, if someone requests them before they are recorded over. Our Orem car accident page covers the driver-side claim process, and the Orem personal injury page covers the rest of the city.