Utah: Is it legal to put a train horn on a car?
Utah says no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, and bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles.
A car must have a horn or other warning device that can be heard from 200 feet. That device may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, and sirens, whistles and bells are limited to emergency vehicles and theft alarms. Train horns aren't named, but a typical train horn very likely fails the loud-or-harsh rule.
Conditions
- Horn must be audible from at least 200 feet
- No unreasonably loud or harsh sound or whistle
- No siren, whistle or bell except emergency vehicles and theft alarms
- Horn may be used only when reasonably necessary for safe operation
What the law says
(1)(b) The horn or other warning device: (i) shall be capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less than 200 feet; and (ii) may not emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle. ... (2) Except as provided under this section, a vehicle may not be equipped with and a person may not use on a vehicle a siren, whistle, or bell.
Sources
- Utah Code § 41-6a-1625 (effective 5/12/2015) Official · le.utah.gov
Confirm with the state
- Agency
- Utah Department of Public Safety (Utah Highway Patrol)
- Phone
- (801) 965-4461
- Website
- dps.utah.gov
How bordering states compare
- Arizona Allowed with limitsArizona has no train horn ban, but no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle.
- Colorado Allowed with limitsColorado has no named train horn ban, but horns may not be unreasonably loud or harsh, and extra audible devices are barred.
- Idaho Allowed with limitsIdaho bans horns that make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a typical train horn likely fails.
- Nevada Allowed with limitsNevada bars any horn from making an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, which a train horn likely breaks.
- New Mexico Allowed with limitsNew Mexico has no express train-horn ban, but every horn must make a harmonious sound, and sirens, whistles and bells are banned.
- Wyoming Allowed with limitsWyoming says no horn may make an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a whistle, and bans sirens, whistles and bells on ordinary vehicles.