Road rage, lane filtering and other notable Utah transportation bills passed in 2024

SALT LAKE CITY — Road rage quickly became a key topic that Utah lawmakers said they wanted to address ahead of this year’s legislative session, following a “sharp” spike in cases reported statewide over the past few years.

The average number of road rage deaths jumped from about 12 per year between 2017 and 2019 to at least 25 every year between 2020 and 2023, per Utah Highway Patrol data. And that’s only taking into account fatalities. Hundreds of road rage cases are reported to dispatch centers every year.

“This is a serious problem. People are dying and loved ones are being taken away,” said Rep. Paul Cutler, R-Centerville, as he urged his House colleagues to vote on HB30 last month.

But one of the problems is that road rage isn’t defined well in Utah law, which makes it difficult to track, study or enforce, said Col. Michael Rapich, head of the Utah Highway Patrol. That’s why he supported the bill, which the Utah Legislature passed last week.

Here’s what HB30 does:

• It defines road rage as a criminal offense where an operator of a vehicle responds “to an incident that occurs or escalates upon a roadway” with “the intent to endanger or intimidate an individual in another vehicle” on any type of roadway.
• Road rage would “enhance” a reckless driving penalty, which would increase the penalties in a case, according to Cutler. The bill states that mandatory fines range from $750 to $1,000, and some cases can also result in a person’s driver’s license being revoked or suspended. The most extreme cases may also result in longer jail time.
• Money from fines and fees will go toward an account that funds education and media campaigns seeking to prevent future road rage incidents. The program will continue through at least July 1, 2028; it could be extended beyond that if the Utah Legislature believes it’s still needed.

If signed by Gov. Spencer Cox, the bill goes into effect on July 1.

Here’s a look at some other notable transportation bills that the Utah Legislature passed in 2024.

Lane filtering on off-ramps

Lane filtering, something Utah enacted for the first time in 2019, is where a motorcyclist can split through lanes of stopped cars at a traffic light to the front of the line. It’s primarily permitted on major roadways.

Off-ramps qualify for the state’s lane filtering law since they have more than two lanes and the speed limit is 45 mph. But since off-ramps don’t usually include speed limit signs, it hasn’t been clear if filtering is allowed, said Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain.

“Whether or not you’re allowed to filter has really kind of come down to which motorcyclist you’re talking to (or) which law enforcement officer you’re talking to,” she explained during a legislative committee last month.

Her bill, HB311, clarifies that lane filtering is permitted on freeway off-ramps.

Gricius said it ensures that motorcycles aren’t the last vehicle in a line on an off-ramp, which could pose safety concerns. The law is also clear that this does not apply to on-ramps.

Other notable measures

There were a handful of other interesting transportation bills passed this year. These include:

• HB3, the state’s budget bill, included $150 million toward transit investments. The state intends to put $75 million of that toward the ongoing efforts to double-track parts of the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner line, as well as up to $5 million for plans to extend service to Payson. Another $75 million would go toward a future Point of the Mountain transit station.
• HB50 designates the newly opened West Davis Corridor as a state highway, state Route 177. It also makes a small tweak to state Route 154 in Draper.
• SB28 extends the Utah State Scenic Byway Program for another five years and new legislative approval for byways. An amendment removed a provision that would ensure an outdoor advertising industry representative is a part of the program’s committee, following backlash before this year’s session.
• HB122 amends the types of auxiliary lights that a motorcycle can have. A light must be white or amber on the front of a motorcycle, amber if on the side of the motorcycle, and amber or red or on the back of it. It aims to make motorcycles more visible at night.
• HB449 adds bicycles to the Pedestrian Safety and Facilities Act, meaning bicycle traffic should be considered in future road project plans.
• HB85 defines an electric bicycle has fully operable pedals and “permanently affixed cranks that were installed at the time of original manufacture” so it’s not mistaken as an electric motorcycle. This helps clarify cases in outdoor recreation, where e-bikes may be permitted on trails and e-motorcycles are not.
• SB235 creates a rail ombudsman that would help improve communication between railroad companies and communities over various issues, including fencing, livestock and railroad crossings.
• HB142 permits drones to be flown near public transit facilities or critical infrastructure facilities. This may help identify when there’s an issue on the line, including someone who may have wandered on the tracks.