Why are highway accidents on I-15 in Utah often more serious than other crashes?

I-15 carries commuters, freight, and travelers at highway speeds through the Wasatch Front and the open stretches of Iron, Beaver, and Millard counties. At those speeds, a mistake leaves little room to recover, and heavy trucks share the same lanes, so a chain-reaction crash can involve several drivers and several insurance companies at once.

Who is at fault in a pileup on I-80 through Parleys Canyon?

Fault depends on the sequence of impacts. A runaway semi on the descent, a driver who braked suddenly, and a driver who followed too closely can each share responsibility. Because trucks are limited to 40 miles per hour westbound on the canyon grade, speed records and electronic logging device data often matter.

What makes an I-84 crash in Weber Canyon different from a crash on I-15?

Weber Canyon adds a steep grade, merging traffic, and slower trucks to the mix, and the first 38 miles of I-84 shares pavement with I-15 near Ogden and Tremonton. Our attorneys review the terrain, traffic flow, and any construction zones when determining who caused the crash.

Does a crash on the remote stretch of I-70 between Salina and Green River change my case?

It can. Emergency response and cell coverage are limited across roughly 100 miles without motorist services, and evidence from the scene can disappear quickly. Contacting an attorney early helps preserve dashcam footage, logging data, and witness information before they are lost.

Can I sue if a government agency’s road design or maintenance caused my highway crash?

Possibly. Claims against a government entity follow different rules than an ordinary injury claim and carry a much shorter notice deadline, so it is important to speak with an attorney as soon as you can after the crash.

Does it matter whether a truck or a passenger car caused my interstate crash?

Yes. Trucking cases can involve the driver, the carrier, a cargo loader, and a maintenance provider, and federal rules generally require freight carriers to carry at least $750,000 in liability coverage. Our Utah truck accident lawyers page explains how those claims work.

Highway Accident Attorney Utah

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Kevin Swenson Swenson & Shelley have represented crash victims on Utah’s interstates for years, and the pattern remains the same: the highway matters.

A rear-end pileup in stop-and-go traffic on I-15 through Utah County differs from a rollover on the Parleys Canyon descent, and both differ from a single-vehicle crash on the empty stretch of I-70 east of Salina.

Attorney Kevin Swenson, who is board-certified in Truck Accident Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, builds each case around where the crash happened, who else was on that road, and what evidence still exists.

If you were hurt on a Utah highway, a highway accident attorney Utah families trust can start that work for you now.

Why Highway Crashes Are Different From Other Utah Accidents

Highway crashes happen at higher speeds, involve more heavy trucks, and often pull several vehicles into the same collision.

According to the Utah Department of Public Safety Highway Safety Office, Utah recorded 59,437 crashes and 277 deaths in 2024, and 291,478 crashes and 1,483 deaths from 2020 through 2024. Nationally, the U.S. Department of Transportation reports that 5,340 people died in crashes involving large trucks in 2024.

Those numbers matter to your claim because interstate crashes usually involve more than one insurance policy and more than one responsible party.

A driver who stopped suddenly, a trucking company that pushed a schedule, and a road condition that was never fixed can all share fault. Our Utah highway accident lawyers review each one before a claim is filed.

Highway Accident Attorney

I-15 Accidents: Utah’s Only North-South Interstate

I-15 crosses the entire state, entering near St. George at the Arizona line and leaving at the Idaho line, and most of Utah’s population lives along it. That means the same road carries commuters in Orem and Provo, freight moving between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, and weekend traffic heading to the national parks.

It also begins at Cove Fort, where I-70 sends long-haul trucks onto the corridor from the east.

Crashes on I-15 tend to fall into a few patterns:

Chain-reaction rear-end collisions in the congested Wasatch Front, where one distracted driver can set off a multi-car pileup.
Lane-change and merge crashes near the Salt Lake interchanges, where I-15, I-80, and I-215 meet.
High-speed collisions on the open stretches through Iron, Beaver, and Millard counties, where a single mistake leaves little room to recover.
Winter crashes near Cedar City and Parowan, where ice and wind catch drivers off guard.

If your crash happened along this corridor, our local offices can respond quickly in St. George, Cedar City, Orem, and Salt Lake City, and we also serve Beaver, Fillmore, and Parowan.

I-80 Accidents: Parleys Canyon, Salt Lake, and the Salt Flats

I-80 enters Utah at Wendover, crosses the Bonneville Salt Flats, passes through the Salt Lake Valley, and climbs out through Parleys Canyon toward Park City and the Wyoming line. Each segment carries its own risk.

West of Salt Lake, the salt flats are long, open, and fast, and drowsy or distracted driving is common. Through the valley, I-80 shares a crowded interchange system with I-15 and I-215. In Parleys Canyon, the road drops more than 2,400 feet between Parleys Summit and Salt Lake City, with grades of 3 to 6 percent.

Trucks are limited to 40 miles per hour westbound, and a runaway truck ramp sits along the descent. When a loaded semi loses its brakes, or a driver misjudges the grade, the result can be catastrophic for everyone below it.

I-80 is also a major freight route between California and the Midwest, so out-of-state carriers and drivers unfamiliar with the canyon are part of the picture. If you were hurt here, our Salt Lake City office and our Park City team can investigate.

I-84 Accidents: Weber Canyon and Northern Utah

I-84 runs from the Idaho line near Snowville to Echo, where it ends at I-80. For about 38 miles, it shares pavement with I-15 before splitting off near Roy and Ogden and heading into Weber Canyon.

That shared stretch concentrates freight bound for Idaho and the Pacific Northwest with local commuter traffic around Ogden and Tremonton.

Weber Canyon adds terrain to the mix. The Utah Department of Transportation has warned drivers to expect congestion and slower-moving trucks on the steep grade near the canyon mouth, and construction work in the corridor has brought lane closures.

Steep grades, merging traffic, and trucks climbing at reduced speed are a recipe for rear-end and sideswipe crashes.

Our Ogden and Tremonton teams handle cases along this corridor.

I-70 Accidents: Remote Roads and Long Waits for Help

I-70 begins at Cove Fort and runs about 232 miles across central and eastern Utah to the Colorado line.

It passes through no major metropolitan area, and it includes the longest stretch of the Interstate system without motorist services, roughly 100 miles between Salina and Green River across Salina Summit and the San Rafael Swell.

That isolation changes how a crash plays out. Cell coverage can be spotty, emergency response can take longer, and medical care may be a long way off. Fatigue is a serious risk on a road this empty, as are the combination of mountain grades, winter weather, and long-haul trucks running tight schedules.

Evidence can also disappear faster out here because crash scenes are cleared quickly and few nearby businesses have cameras.

If your crash happened on I-70, we can help from our Salina, Richfield, and Green River service areas.