Find a motorcycle accident lawyer in Mesa: what the city's own crash data means for your claim

Last checked November 8, 2026

Motorcyclists were 16 of the 34 people killed on Mesa streets in 2024.1 In 2023, 54 of 109 crashes between a motorcycle and a vehicle were tied to a driver turning left.2 Mesa Police handles city streets.3 You generally have 2 years to sue,4 or 180 days to file a claim against the City.5

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Road map of Mesa marking Dobson Road and University Drive, an arterial intersection on the region's top 100 crash risk list
Left-turning drivers: 54 of 109 Mesa motorcycle-vehicle crashes. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Why are so many motorcycle riders dying in Mesa?

No other group of road users lost more people in Mesa in 2024. The city's own report says motorcycle deaths rose 275% over five years.6

PeriodMotorcyclists killed in Mesa
2022131
202315, the first year riders outnumbered people killed in motor vehicles17
202416 of 34 traffic deaths1
First 6 months of 20259 of 21 traffic deaths8

Mesa counted 136 motorcycle crashes in 2023, up from 113 the year before.9 The five-year pattern peaks in April and October,10 and 48.2% of the 2023 crashes came between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.11

How do most motorcycle crashes happen in Mesa?

A driver turns left across a rider going straight. When a motor vehicle was involved in 2023, 54 of 109 crashes were tied to a motorist trying to turn left at an intersection or driveway.2 When police listed the driver as at fault, failure to yield led at 43 crashes, and 30 of those were left turns or U-turns.12

Deaths follow the same shape. From 2014 to 2024, 25% of Mesa's fatal crashes involved motorcyclists, and 41% of those were left turn crashes.13 Of the 67 motorcycle crashes tied to an intersection in 2023, 82.1% were on an arterial road.14 Two of the region's 100 highest-risk intersections touch Mesa: Dobson Road at University Drive15 and 8th Avenue at Alma School Road.16

Drivers often say they never saw the bike. That does not settle who was at fault. What helps is proof of where each vehicle was: the signal phase, skid marks, the point of impact and video. Corner stores often have cameras and write over old footage, so ask this week.

Will the insurance company blame me because I ride in Mesa?

Expect it to try. In 2023 the rider was listed as at fault in 46.3% of Mesa's 136 motorcycle crashes, so in most crashes police did not name the rider.17 When riders were listed, speed too fast was the top violation, in 23 crashes.18 An adjuster may lean on that number, but a police label is not the final word in a civil claim.

Arizona lets you recover even if you were partly at fault, with your award reduced by your share.19 Hold off on any recorded call with the other driver's insurer until you know how badly you are hurt.

Can riding without a helmet hurt my claim in Mesa?

Nobody can tell you for sure. Arizona requires helmets only for riders and passengers under 18.20 No Arizona statute says whether skipping a helmet counts as fault, so this point is unsettled.21 Operators must also wear approved eye protection unless the bike has a protective windshield.22

Mesa's data shows why insurers raise it. Of 137 known riders in 2023, 81 wore a helmet and 56 did not. With helmets, 70.4% had a minor injury or less. Without, 41.1% did.23 Those figures describe how bad injuries were, not who caused the crash. Keep your helmet and gear exactly as they are.

Is lane filtering legal in Mesa?

Sometimes. Riders may pass stopped traffic between lanes only if it is safe, on streets with limits of 45 mph or less, and at 15 mph or less.24 A motorcycle also has the right to a full lane, and drivers may not crowd it.25

Mesa says Surrons, Talarias and similar electric dirt bikes count as motorcycles or motor driven cycles for licensing, registration and insurance.26 Tell a lawyer exactly what you were riding.

Who has the report for my Mesa motorcycle crash?

  • Mesa city street: Mesa Police, through BuyCrash with your DR number and crash date.32728 $2.60 if your card name is on the report.29
  • US-60 or another state highway: Arizona DPS. Wait at least 14 days, then call (602) 223-2230.3031
  • County island: Maricopa County Sheriff, through BuyCrash in about seven business days.3233

A report on a fatal crash is not sold online, so ask Mesa Police Records for it directly.34

Where is my bike, and who pays my medical bills in Mesa?

Police tows go by zone. Northwest of Lindsay and Broadway is Valley Express Towing, 480-899-4621.35 Southwest is ACT Towing, 480-833-7278.36 Ask them not to sell or repair the bike until it is photographed. Only Mesa Police can release a 20-day or 7-day impound, at 480-644-6080.37

Banner Desert on Dobson Road is Mesa's state-designated Level I trauma center.38 Banner records come through MRO Patient Central.39 A driver may carry only $25,000 per person,40 so check whether you bought uninsured motorist coverage. Insurers must offer it in writing.41

How long do I have after a motorcycle accident in Mesa?

  • Against a driver or company: generally 2 years to sue.4
  • If a City of Mesa street defect or vehicle played a part: 180 days to file with the City Clerk.5 It is deemed denied after 60 days unless denied sooner.42
  • A lawsuit against any public agency is due within 1 year.43

What should I ask a motorcycle accident lawyer in Mesa?

  • How many left-turn motorcycle cases have you handled on Mesa arterials?
  • Will you ask for signal records and nearby video this week?
  • How would you answer a helmet argument, given that the law is unsettled?
  • What happens if the driver only has the $25,000 minimum?

Questions

How many motorcyclists died in Mesa in 2024?

The city counted 16 of 34 traffic deaths.1 Nine more riders died in the first six months of 2025.8

Is a driver who turned left always at fault in Mesa?

No. It depends on the facts, and Arizona cuts your award by your share of fault.19

Do I have to wear a helmet in Arizona?

Only if you are under 18.20 Whether going without one affects an adult's claim is unsettled.21

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Mesa

Motorcycle accident

Arizona

Sources

  1. City of Mesa, City of Mesa Crashes presentation, checked 2026-11-08. “16 motorcyclist fatalities (46%)”
  2. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 109 motorcycle crashes where a motor vehicle was involved, 54 were attributed to motorists attempting to make a left turn at intersections or driveways.”
  3. 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.”
  4. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  5. City of Mesa, Claim Form (updated 08/03/2026), checked 2026-11-08. “shall file the claim with the Mesa City Clerk within 180 days after the claim accrues.”
  6. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “The number of motorcycle fatalities has increased by 275% over the last five years”
  7. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “This is the first year where motorcycle fatalities outnumber motor vehicle fatalities.”
  8. City of Mesa, City of Mesa Crashes presentation, checked 2026-11-08. “9 motorcyclist fatalities & 2 pedestrian fatalities”
  9. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “The City of Mesa had 136 reported motorcycle crashes in 2023”
  10. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “motorcycle crashes peaking in April and October.”
  11. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “48.2% occurred between 3:00 pm and 9:00 pm.”
  12. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “In this category there were 43 crashes, of which 30 were left turn or U-turn related.”
  13. City of Mesa, City of Mesa Crashes presentation, checked 2026-11-08. “25% of these fatal crashes involved motorcyclists. Of these, 41% were left turn and 28% were angle crashes.”
  14. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 67 intersection related crashes, 82.1% occurred on an arterial road.”
  15. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections by Crash Risk 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “| 86 Mesa/ Tempe | Mesa | DOBSON RD & UNIVERSITY DR | 75 | 0.175 | 0.536 | 0.244 | 0.373 |”
  16. Maricopa Association of Governments, Top 100 Intersections by Crash Risk 2018-2022, checked 2026-11-08. “| 100 Mesa | Mesa | 8TH AVE B & ALMA SCHOOL RD | 49 | 0.114 | 0.521 | 0.273 | 0.357 |”
  17. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “the rider of a motorcycle was reported as unit 1, or at fault, in 46.3% of the 136 crashes.”
  18. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “the violations of motorcycles in 2023 were the highest for speed too fast. In this category, there were 23 crashes.”
  19. 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”
  20. A.R.S. § 28-964(A), checked 2026-11-08. “An operator or passenger of a motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle or motor driven cycle who is under eighteen years of age shall wear at all times a protective helmet”
  21. A.R.S. § 12-2505(A), 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”
  22. A.R.S. § 28-964(A), checked 2026-11-08. “An operator of a motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle or motor driven cycle shall wear at all times protective glasses, goggles or a transparent face shield of a type approved by the director unless the motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle or motor driven cycle is equipped with a protective windshield.”
  23. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “81 wore a helmet and 56 did not. Of those that wore a helmet, 70.4% suffered a minor injury or less. Of those that did not, 41.1% suffered a minor injury or less.”
  24. A.R.S. § 28-903(F), checked 2026-11-08. “The operator of a two-wheeled motorcycle may overtake and pass another vehicle that is stopped in the same direction of travel and in the same lane as the operator and may operate the motorcycle between lanes of traffic if the movement may be made safely [...] Has a speed limit that does not exceed forty-five miles per hour. 2. Travels at a speed that does not exceed fifteen miles per hour.”
  25. A.R.S. § 28-903(A), checked 2026-11-08. “All motorcycles are entitled to the full use of a lane. A person shall not drive a motor vehicle in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane.”
  26. City of Mesa, E-Bikes and E-Scooters, checked 2026-11-08. “All Surrons, Talarias, and similar electric dirt bikes”
  27. Mesa Police, Criminal Justice Information Division, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-criminal accident reports are available online from February 24, 2009 to present.”
  28. Mesa Police, Criminal Justice Information Division, checked 2026-11-08. “Require a Mesa Police Department departmental report number (DR#), date of accident and a valid credit card”
  29. Mesa Police, Criminal Justice Information Division, checked 2026-11-08. “Fees are $2.60 for involved parties if name on credit card matches a name on the accident report.”
  30. 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”
  31. Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Please wait at least 14 days to check on report availability”
  32. City of Mesa, Transportation Master Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “unincorporated county areas, or “County Islands””
  33. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, Report Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Allow seven (7) business days after the accident for the report to be uploaded.”
  34. Mesa Police, Criminal Justice Information Division, checked 2026-11-08. “Crashes can be obtained directly through Mesa Police for $5.00”
  35. Mesa Police, Towing Information, checked 2026-11-08. “Thompson Diversified (Valley Express Towing) 661 W. Broadway Rd. Mesa, AZ 85210 480-899-4621”
  36. Mesa Police, Towing Information, checked 2026-11-08. “ACT Towing (All City Towing) 261 E. 10th Drive Mesa, AZ 85210 480-833-7278”
  37. Mesa Police, 20- or 7-Day Impound Information, checked 2026-11-08. “You can ONLY arrange to have your vehicle released by contacting the Mesa Police Department.”
  38. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner Desert Medical Center 1400 South Dobson Rd., Meza, AZ 85202 06/10/24 06/10/27”
  39. Banner Health, Patient Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “you can request your medical records from any Banner Health hospital, provider office, or urgent care location.”
  40. A.R.S. § 28-4009(A)(2)(b), checked 2026-11-08. “(i) $25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident. (ii) Subject to the limit for one person, $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident. (iii) $15,000 because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one accident.”
  41. A.R.S. § 20-259.01(A), checked 2026-11-08. “Every insurer writing automobile liability or motor vehicle liability policies shall make available to the named insured thereunder and by written notice offer the named insured and at the request of the named insured shall include within the policy uninsured motorist coverage”
  42. City of Mesa, Claim Form (updated 08/03/2026), checked 2026-11-08. “your claim is deemed denied 60 days after the filing of the claim”
  43. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”

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