Find a bicycle accident lawyer in Glendale, Arizona: reports, insurance and city claims

If a driver hits you on a Glendale street, Glendale Police take the crash and the driver's insurance is usually first in line. You generally have 2 years to sue. If a broken street, city vehicle or city path caused it, your claim to the City Clerk is due in 180 days.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (46)

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Road map of Glendale, Arizona showing the Grand Canal Linear Park trail and Camelback Road, where the city's paved paths meet busy streets
City claims for a bike crash in Glendale are due in 180 days. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Where do bike crashes happen in Glendale, AZ?

Glendale has a lot of places to ride. The city counts over 80 miles of bike lanes or routes and over 70 miles of shared use paths. The Grand Canal path has lighting and pavement, and Thunderbird Paseo follows the Arizona Canal. The danger usually comes where those paths and lanes meet traffic.

Across Maricopa County in 2024, ADOT counted 991 bicycle crashes. They killed 27 riders and hurt 973. ADOT's report does not give a bike count for Glendale alone, and the city is still building its Vision Zero and Safety Action Plans, so it has no finished list of dangerous corridors yet.

Some gaps are on record. West of Grand Avenue, between Missouri Avenue and Bethany Home Road, one city project covers about 1.5 miles of new bike lanes and 2.2 miles of missing sidewalk.

The busiest shared corners also matter. 51st Avenue and Camelback ranks second out of 100 in the region for crash risk. It sits on the Glendale and Phoenix line, so the first thing to check is which police agency came.

How do I get the police report for a bike crash in Glendale?

Where you were hitWho usually has itHow to ask
A Glendale streetGlendale PoliceOnline records form or BuyCrash. Or (623) 930-3100.
On the Phoenix side of the linePhoenix PoliceChoose Traffic Crash in its online portal.
Loop 101, Loop 303 or a state highway rampArizona DPSWait 14 days, then call (602) 223-2230.

Glendale gives no fixed wait. A report goes to the officer and a supervisor, then Records mails it or calls you. If the driver took off, use the Hit and Run line at (623) 930-3495. Do not file online if you were hurt, because that screen asks about injuries to decide if online filing fits. Call the non-emergency line, (623) 930-3000.

Whose insurance pays after a car hits my bike in Glendale?

  • The driver's liability policy. Arizona's minimum is only $25,000 for one person.
  • Your own auto policy, if it has uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. That coverage protects the people insured on the policy, and you do not have to be in your car to ask about it.
  • Your health insurance, for medical bills while the claim is open.
  • The driver's employer, if the driver was working.

Fault gets split in Arizona. If a jury says you were 20 percent to blame, your money drops by 20 percent, but your claim survives. Insurers often argue that a rider was too far out in the lane.

State law lets riders move left for surface hazards. Riders on the road also have the same rights as drivers. Take photos of the glass, gravel or broken pavement that pushed you out.

Can I make a claim against Glendale for a pothole or a bad path?

Maybe, but the clock is short. Glendale's Street Maintenance Division repairs an average of 12,000 potholes a year, so the city knows about road damage in general. You still have to show this hole, and why the city should have fixed it.

  1. Photograph the spot the same day, with something for scale. Note the nearest cross street.
  2. Report it in GlendaleOne under Streets/Sidewalks/Medians, and save the confirmation.
  3. Find out who owns it. The city says some roadside areas belong to the county, businesses or others.
  4. On a trail or in a park, tell Park Rangers at 623-695-3004. Parks Maintenance is 623-930-2691.
  5. Send a written claim to the Glendale City Clerk, 5752 W. Glenn Dr., within 180 days. We found no published city claim form, so ask the Clerk at 623-930-2252 how they want it.
  6. If the claim fails, a lawsuit against a public body must be filed within 1 year.

Paths and recreation land can bring extra rules, so have a lawyer read the facts early. Small claims court cannot hear a case against a city.

Do Glendale's e-bike rules change my claim?

They can. Since January 9, 2026, Glendale has its own e-bike rules. Class 1 and 2 riders must be at least 14. Where there is a bike lane, an e-bike rider must use it, though riders may leave it when glass, water or dirt makes it unsafe.

Breaking one of these rules does not end your case, but the other side may use it to raise your share of fault.

What should I ask a bike accident lawyer in Glendale?

  • Have you handled a claim against the City of Glendale, and will you file my 180-day notice?
  • Can you get video from nearby businesses or traffic cameras before it is erased?
  • How much uninsured coverage do I have, and does it stack with anything else?
  • Is my bike, helmet and clothing worth saving as proof? (Usually yes. Do not repair the bike yet.)

Questions

How long do I have to file a bike accident claim in Glendale?

Generally 2 years to sue. If the city or another public body may be at fault, the claim is due in 180 days. For a minor, ask a lawyer about the extra time Arizona allows.

Does a driver have to give me 3 feet in Arizona?

Yes. A driver passing a bicycle must leave at least 3 feet.

Which hospitals treat serious bike injuries in Glendale?

The state lists Banner Thunderbird, 5555 W. Thunderbird Rd., as Level I, with its renewal marked pending. Banner records come through MRO Patient Central.

Can I claim anything if nobody was charged?

Yes. A traffic ticket and an injury claim are separate. Glendale City Court handles violations, and it is not where an injury lawsuit goes.

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Sources (46)

  1. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “If the report you are requesting was the result of a collision that occurred on a town, city or county road, contact the law enforcement agency in that jurisdiction.”
  2. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  3. A.R.S. § 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  4. City of Glendale, City Clerk, checked 2026-11-08. “623-930-2252, Option 1”
  5. A.R.S. § 28-735(A), checked 2026-11-08. “When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet until the motor vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle.”
  6. Arizona Revised Statutes 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “uninsured motorist coverage that extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy”
  7. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Glendale Police Department Main Station 6835 N. 57th Drive Glendale, AZ 85301 (623) 930-3100”
  8. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm (except for city observed holidays).”
  9. City of Glendale, Bike Safety 101, checked 2026-11-09. “With over 80 miles of bike lanes or routes and over 70 miles of shared use paths”
  10. City of Glendale parks and trail map, checked 2026-11-09. “A linear park running along the Grand Canal, with a lighted, paved trail and an equestrian trail.”
  11. City of Glendale parks and trail map, checked 2026-11-09. “A linear park running along the Arizona Canal with a paved trail and an unpaved equestrian trail”
  12. ADOT, 2024 Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Maricopa | 991 | 27 | 964 | 27 | 973 |”
  13. City of Glendale, Safe Streets for Glendale, checked 2026-11-08. “is developing comprehensive Vision Zero and Safety Action Plans”
  14. City of Glendale, Transportation Projects, checked 2026-11-08. “The project will construct approximately 2.2 total linear miles of missing sidewalk, 1.5 miles of new bicycle lanes, and 0.5 mile of shared bicycle facilities.”
  15. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “| 2 Glendale/ Phoenix | Glendale | 51ST AVE & CAMELBACK RD | 174 | 0.406 | 0.939 | 0.736 | 0.755 |”
  16. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “Multiple agencies are shown where the agency boundary runs through the intersection.”
  17. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “To obtain a copy of a Traffic Accident or Incident Report fill out an online records request form”
  18. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “if requesting a Traffic Accident you may also obtain a copy online at www.buycrash.com”
  19. Phoenix Police, Public Records, checked 2026-11-08. “The following 10 options are available on the portal to submit Public Record requests:”
  20. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “maintains records for collisions (accidents) that were investigated by DPS Troopers occurring on an Interstate or State Highway”
  21. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Please wait at least 14 days to check on report availability”
  22. Glendale Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Once the report is approved for release and redacted, Records will mail it to the requestor or call to inform the requester the report is ready for pickup.”
  23. Glendale Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Hit and Run Accident Information | (623) 930-3495”
  24. Glendale Police, File a Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Was someone injured as a result of this incident?”
  25. Glendale Police, Phone Directory, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-Emergency | (623) 930-3000”
  26. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-4009, checked 2026-11-09. “$25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident”
  27. A.R.S. § 12-2505, checked 2026-11-08. “the claimant's action is not barred, but the full damages shall be reduced in proportion to the relative degree of the claimant's fault”
  28. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-815, checked 2026-11-09. “If reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals or surface hazards.”
  29. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-812, checked 2026-11-09. “is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle”
  30. City of Glendale, Transportation Services, checked 2026-11-08. “Street Maintenance: Average 12,000 pot holes repaired annually”
  31. City of Glendale, Street Maintenance Services, checked 2026-11-08. “When prompted for the issue type, look for Streets/Sidewalks/Medians or simply start typing the issue.”
  32. City of Glendale, Street Maintenance Services, checked 2026-11-08. “Please note that not all roadside areas are maintained by the city, some areas are owned by the county, businesses or other entities.”
  33. City of Glendale, Park Rangers, checked 2026-11-08. “Please call 623-695-3004”
  34. City of Glendale, Park Rangers, checked 2026-11-08. “Parks Maintenance Office 623-930-2691”
  35. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  36. Arizona Revised Statutes 22-503, checked 2026-11-08. “Actions against this state, its political subdivisions or an officer or employee of the state or its political subdivisions in his official capacity.”
  37. City of Glendale, E-bike and e-scooter ordinance notice, checked 2026-11-09. “New rules for electric bicycles and scooters go into effect in Glendale on January 9, 2026.”
  38. City of Glendale, E-bike and e-scooter ordinance notice, checked 2026-11-09. “Class 1 and 2 e-bikes have a top speed of 20 mph and riders must be at least 14 years old.”
  39. Glendale Ordinance O25-50, City Code Chapter 8, checked 2026-11-09. “Wherever a Bike Lane is present upon a roadway, the operator of an E-Bike or E-Scooter shall use that Bike Lane and shall not use the roadway”
  40. Glendale Ordinance O25-50, City Code Chapter 8, checked 2026-11-09. “the presence of water, dirt, glass or other foreign objects in the Bike Lane prevents safe”
  41. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  42. A.R.S. § 12-502, checked 2026-11-08. “the period of such disability shall not be deemed a portion of the period limited for commencement of the action”
  43. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-735, checked 2026-11-09. “leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet”
  44. Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner Thunderbird Medical Center 5555 W. Thunderbird Rd, Glendale, AZ 85306 09/30/22 *09/26/26”
  45. Banner Health, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “you can request your medical records from any Banner Health hospital, provider office, or urgent care location.”
  46. Glendale City Court, About Us, checked 2026-11-08. “The Glendale City Court adjudicates criminal misdemeanors, City Code violations, and certain juvenile offenses committed in the City of Glendale.”

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