Utah § 6a-1009 - Use of roadway by pedestrians -- Prohibited activities.

Full text of Utah Utah Code § 6a-1009 — Use of roadway by pedestrians -- Prohibited activities., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.

§ 6a-1009. Use of roadway by pedestrians -- Prohibited activities.

Effective 5/8/2018
41-6a-1009.  Use of roadway by pedestrians -- Prohibited activities.
(1) Where there is a sidewalk provided and its use is practicable, a pedestrian may not walk along or on an adjacent roadway.
(2) Where a sidewalk is not provided, a pedestrian walking along or on a highway shall walk only on the shoulder, as far as practicable from the edge of the roadway.
(3) Where a sidewalk or a shoulder is not available, a pedestrian walking along or on a highway shall:
(a) walk as near as practicable to the outside edge of the roadway; and
(b) if on a two-way roadway, walk only on the left side of the roadway facing traffic.
(4)
(a) An individual may not impede or block traffic within any of the following:
(i) an interstate system, as defined in Section 72-1-102;
(ii) a freeway, as defined in Section 41-6a-102;
(iii) a state highway, as defined in Title 72, Chapter 4, Designation of State Highways Act;
(iv) a state route, or "SR," as defined in Section 72-1-102; or
(v) a highway, as defined in Section 72-1-102, that:
(A) is paved and has a speed limit of 35 miles per hour or higher;
(B) has a median, whether elevated or flat; or
(C) has a fixed guideway as defined in Section 59-12-102 or any other railway that shares the highway right-of-way.
(b) The locations described in Subsection (4)(a) include:
(i) shoulder areas, as defined in Section 41-6a-102;
(ii) on-ramps;
(iii) off-ramps; and
(iv) an area between the roadways of a divided highway, as defined in Section 41-6a-102.
(c) The locations described in Subsection (4)(a) do not include sidewalks, as defined in Section 41-6a-102.
(d) Conduct that may impede or block traffic includes:
(i) while a pedestrian, accepting, transacting, exchanging, or otherwise taking possession or control of money or property from a person within a motor vehicle while that motor vehicle is within an area described in Subsection (4)(a); or
(ii) while a driver or passenger of a motor vehicle within an area described in Subsection (4)(a), accepting, transacting, exchanging, or otherwise taking possession or control of money or property from a pedestrian.
(e) Conduct that impedes or blocks traffic does not include:
(i) the conduct described in Section 41-6a-209 or other lawful direction of a peace officer;
(ii) conduct or actions resulting from a traffic accident, medical emergency, or similar exigent circumstance, including:
(A) exchanging insurance information; or
(B) exchanging contact information; or
(iii) conduct or actions that occur while the motor vehicle is legally parked.
(f) A county or municipality may adopt a resolution, ordinance, or regulation prohibiting conduct in locations described in Subsections (4)(a) and (b) within any of the roadways under its jurisdiction.
(g)
(i) The state, a county, or a municipality shall create a permitting process for granting a person an exemption from this Subsection (4).
(ii) Upon receipt of a valid permit application, the state, a county, or a municipality shall grant a person a temporary exemption from this Subsection (4) for a specified location or time.
(h) Nothing in this section prohibits a temporary spontaneous demonstration.
(5) A pedestrian who is under the influence of alcohol or any drug to a degree which renders the pedestrian a hazard may not walk or be on a highway except on a sidewalk or sidewalk area.
(6) Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a pedestrian on a roadway shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway.
(7) A pedestrian may not walk along or on a no-access freeway facility except during an emergency.
(8)
(a) As used in this Subsection (8):
(i) "Aggressive manner" means intentionally:
(A) persisting in approaching or following an individual after the individual has negatively responded to the solicitation;
(B) engaging in conduct that would cause a reasonable individual to fear imminent bodily harm;
(C) engaging in conduct that would intimidate a reasonable individual into giving money or goods;
(D) blocking the path of an individual; or
(E) physically contacting an individual or the individual's personal property without that individual's consent.
(ii) "Bank" is as defined in Section 13-42-102.
(iii) "Sidewalk" is as defined in Section 41-6a-102.
(b) An individual may not solicit money or goods from another individual in an aggressive manner:
(i) during the business hours of a bank if either the individual soliciting, or the individual being solicited, is on the portion of a sidewalk that is within 10 feet of the bank's entrance or exit; or
(ii) on the portion of a sidewalk that is within 10 feet of an automated teller machine.
(9)
(a) Except as provided in Subsection (9)(b), a violation of this section is an infraction.
(b) A third or subsequent violation of Subsection (4) in a one-year period is a class C misdemeanor.


Amended by Chapter 122, 2018 General Session

Source: official Utah text · Last verified 2026-08-27

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What does Utah Code § 6a-1009 cover?

Section 6a-1009 ("Use of roadway by pedestrians -- Prohibited activities.") is part of the Utah Code, the codified statutory law of Utah. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.

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