Orem is a college city and a commuter city at the same time. Utah Valley University brings tens of thousands of students onto University Parkway and 800 North. State Street carries retail traffic, and University Parkway runs past University Place. I-15 runs along the west side. And the UVX bus line ties Orem to Provo with dedicated lanes and stations in the middle of busy streets.
Each of those produces a different kind of crash.
Which police agency took the report
Crashes inside the city are handled by Orem Police. Crashes on I-15 are usually worked by the Utah Highway Patrol. UVU has its own campus police for incidents on campus. Request the report from the agency that actually responded, and keep the police case number and the insurance claim number separate.
The UVX line
UVX runs through Orem to Provo with stations in the center of the roadway, so riders cross traffic to reach the bus, and drivers share lanes and intersections with it. UVX is operated by UTA.
That matters for one reason above all others. A claim against UTA is a claim against a government entity, and Utah Code § 63G-7-402 bars it unless a written notice of claim is filed within one year. The notice has specific requirements about what it says and who receives it. A phone call to UTA is not a notice.
If a UVX bus was involved, or you were hurt at a station, tell us on the first call.
Students, scooters and people on foot
Around UVU there are student drivers, riders on e-bikes and scooters, and a lot of people walking between housing, campus and the bus.
- If you were hit on foot: a pedestrian injured in Utah by a car can receive personal injury protection benefits under that car's policy under § 31A-22-308, even without a policy of their own.
- If you were on a bike or scooter: Utah treats cyclists and scooter riders as vulnerable users of a highway under § 41-6a-706.5, and a driver may not knowingly or recklessly operate within three feet of one.
- If a student driver hit you: the car is often on a parent's policy, sometimes from another state. Photograph the licence and the insurance card, and write down whose name the car is registered in. The details matter.
Retail traffic on State Street and University Parkway
Retail traffic, left turns across several lanes, and parking lots. Parking lot crashes often happen on private property where the police may not write a full report. Take your own photos, get names, and ask the business in writing to save its camera footage.
Where treatment usually happens
Orem crash patients are often seen at Timpanogos Regional Hospital in Orem or Utah Valley Hospital in Provo. It is not the time to be brave. Tell every provider everything that hurts, and keep every bill.
The deadlines
- Personal injury — four years. Utah Code § 78B-2-307.
- Wrongful death — two years. § 78B-2-304.
- Vehicle property damage — three years. § 78B-2-305.
- UVX, UTA or another government entity: written notice of claim within one year.
An Orem injury lawsuit is generally filed in the Fourth District Court, which covers Utah County.
LawyerUp handles the vehicle property damage claim alongside the injury claim. Call (801) 685-1000. The consultation is free.