Human-Driven Vehicles. The driver is always a human responsible for obeying Utah traffic laws. Citations, tickets, and civil liability attach to the person behind the wheel.

Self-Driving Vehicles (Autonomous Mode). Utah’s Autonomous Vehicle Act allows the automated driving system (ADS) to be considered the “driver” when it is engaged. A human occupant may not be legally “driving” even if they are sitting in the car. Fault may shift from the person to the software provider or vehicle manufacturer depending on evidence that the ADS malfunctioned.

Human-Driven Vehicles. Negligence depends on conduct: speeding, distraction, impairment, failure to yield, and similar behaviors. Liability usually falls on the human driver unless a mechanical defect caused or contributed to the crash.

Self-Driving Vehicles. Utah evaluates two major pathways when an autonomous vehicle crashes:

A. User Liability. If the human misused the autonomous mode (for example, ignored “hands needed” warnings when required or used the system in conditions where it is not authorized), liability can attach to the user.

B. Product Liability. If the autonomous system acted incorrectly, follow-up claims may target the vehicle manufacturer, the software developer, or sensor and hardware suppliers. Utah courts rely heavily on technical data logs to reconstruct what the system “saw” and how it decided to act.

Human-Driven Vehicles. Evidence typically comes from responding officers, witnesses, traffic cameras, photos, and the vehicle’s event data recorder (EDR).

Self-Driving Vehicles. Autonomous vehicles store detailed operational logs that can become central evidence in a Utah crash investigation:

Human-Driven Vehicles. A citation almost always attaches to the human driver who committed the violation.

Self-Driving Vehicles. Utah law does not yet have a universal rule for issuing tickets to self-driving cars. Enforcement across the country varies: some states ticket the operator or registered owner; some recognize the ADS as the “driver,” but machines cannot receive tickets or appear in court.

In practice, Utah typically assigns responsibility to the human in control of the vehicle unless the ADS is officially recognized as the driver under autonomous mode and the facts show the human was not expected to intervene.

Human-Driven Vehicles. Standard car insurance applies, including liability, PIP, and collision coverage. Claims are evaluated based on the driver’s negligence under Utah traffic laws.

Self-Driving Vehicles. Insurers increasingly offer AV-specific endorsements and products. Claims may involve manufacturer liability, software liability, and hardware defect liability in addition to or instead of the human operator. Utah insurers often request ADS log data to determine whether human negligence or autonomous malfunction caused the crash.

Utah’s Autonomous Vehicle Pilot Programs. Utah’s pilot programs allow limited testing of advanced ADS vehicles in controlled environments. Companies must carry higher insurance, follow safety plans, and meet reporting standards. These programs influence how Utah courts interpret autonomous-mode responsibility and may serve as a model for future statewide rules governing fully self-driving fleets.

Use this Utah-focused checklist to understand where liability may fall in an autonomous-vehicle crash:

• Was the vehicle in autonomous mode or human-driven at the time of the crash?
• Did the human operator ignore required instructions, safety alerts, or misuse the system?
• Does the vehicle’s data log show software malfunction or an incorrect decision from the ADS?
• Were any vehicle components, sensors, or cameras faulty or improperly maintained?
• Did Utah’s traffic laws assign responsibility to the human occupant for that specific maneuver?
• Did the autonomous vehicle comply with Utah’s Autonomous Vehicle Act requirements and any pilot-program rules?
• Has the manufacturer issued software updates or recalls related to the behavior seen in the crash?
• Is there evidence of negligence, defective design, or improper maintenance by any party involved?