University Parkway (SR-265)
UVX buses run in dedicated inside lanes along University Parkway, so drivers turning left must cross bus lanes as well as oncoming traffic. Misjudged turns across the center of the road are a frequent pattern.
UTAH COUNTY
Provo Car Accident Lawyer
Hurt in a Provo collision? We offer a free case review, and there are no attorney fees unless we win.
Where Provo Collisions Cluster
Provo's worst crashes gather around its two universities and its through-routes: University Parkway's run toward UVU and Orem, University Avenue carrying US-189 past BYU toward the canyon, the I-15 interchanges on the west side, and a downtown grid now shared with UVX buses. For the streets with the most crashes in UDOT’s records, see Provo’s most dangerous roads.
University Avenue (US-189)
The spine of the city from I-15 to the mouth of Provo Canyon. Heavy foot traffic near BYU and downtown, plus UVX lanes through downtown Provo, turn many crashes into questions about who had the signal.
I-15 through Utah Valley
Provo's interchanges handle commuters bound for Salt Lake and freight on the main north-south corridor. Rear-end chains in stop-and-go traffic are common, and the proof often lives in vehicle data that does not last long.
Center Street and downtown Provo
Short blocks, parked cars, bus stops and riders walking to and from FrontRunner and UVX put cars and pedestrians in close quarters. Even low-speed crashes here seriously injure people on foot.
US-189 in Provo Canyon
Beyond the canyon mouth, curves and grade meet recreation traffic heading up the canyon. Winter ice and summer motorcycle traffic mean speed for the conditions is almost always contested.
Which Agency Responds in Provo
Provo Police take crashes in the city and BYU Police take incidents on campus; the Utah County Sheriff's Office covers unincorporated areas and the Utah Highway Patrol covers I-15 and the canyon. A crash involving a UTA bus, a city vehicle or a road defect triggers the one-year notice-of-claim rule under the Governmental Immunity Act.
Who Covers Treatment First
Your own insurer's personal injury protection pays first in Utah, fault aside: a minimum of $3,000 in medical care plus lost wages at 85% of gross pay, up to $250 weekly for as long as 52 weeks (Utah Code § 31A-22-307). The full list of PIP benefits is in our no-fault guide.
At Utah Valley Hospital, an emergency visit with a CT scan can use up that minimum quickly. Utah Code § 31A-22-309 then lets you pursue the at-fault driver for pain and lasting harm only if one of these applies:
- Medical expenses exceeding $3,000.
- A fractured bone.
- Permanent impairment or disability established by objective findings.
- A permanently disfiguring injury.
- Dismemberment.
- The injured person died.
Meet any one and the other driver's liability policy is on the hook for the whole claim; if it falls short, your uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage fills in, and an uninsured motorist claim does not require the threshold at all. Our UIM guide explains how the layers add up.
When Fault Is Shared
Utah's comparative fault statute, § 78B-5-818, cuts your recovery by your own percentage of fault and bars it entirely unless the defendants' combined fault is greater than yours.
In Provo the arguments are predictable: whether you had room to turn across the UVX lanes, how fast you were going in the canyon, or whether a student stepped out between parked cars. Video from buses, storefronts and dashcams answers those questions, if someone asks for it early.
Time limits
Four years for most injury suits (§ 78B-2-307), two for wrongful death, and only one year to serve a notice of claim on UDOT, UTA, Utah County or Provo City. See every Utah deadline in one place.
Provo Cases We Take On
Left turns across bus lanes
University Parkway and University Avenue, where drivers turn across UVX lanes and oncoming traffic, and cars leave lots into lanes they cannot see.
Interstate crashes
I-15 through Provo, especially the chain collisions that follow sudden backups at the interchanges.
Provo Canyon crashes
US-189, where curves, grade and weekend traffic collide with ice in winter and motorcycles in summer.
Pedestrian and cyclist crashes
Around BYU, downtown and Provo Central station, people on foot and on bikes are everywhere. Insurers usually claim the person stepped out; crosswalk location, lighting and video decide it.
Uninsured and hit-and-run drivers
When the other driver has no coverage or leaves, your UM coverage may carry the claim. If the car never touched you, Utah requires clear and convincing proof that it existed beyond your own word (§ 31A-22-305(6)), so report and gather witness names right away. See what to do after a hit and run.
The First Days After a Provo Crash
- Call 911 and note which agency responds (Provo Police, BYU Police, the sheriff or UHP); you will need the case number to get the report.
- Get evaluated the same day. Utah Valley Hospital in Provo is a Level II trauma center.
- Take pictures of the intersection, the signals, the bus lane markings and the damage before anything is moved.
- Write down every witness's name and number; students and visitors are hard to track down later.
- Report the crash to your insurer to start PIP, and decline recorded statements for the other side until you know your injuries. Our case steps guide explains the process.
Provo crash lawsuits go to the Fourth Judicial District Court at 137 North Freedom Boulevard, though most claims resolve without one. Call (801) 921-5134 for a free review; no attorney fees unless we win. More on our Provo personal injury page and our Utah car accident page.
This is general legal information for Provo readers, not advice about your crash. Each claim depends on its facts, and earlier results are no guarantee.