Hit by a car as a pedestrian or cyclist in Mesa: your rights and finding a lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

If a car hit you while you were walking or biking in Mesa, Mesa Police takes the report.1 The city counted 112 pedestrian and 160 bike crashes in 2023.23 Where no signal is working, drivers must slow or stop for you in a crosswalk.4 You generally have 2 years to sue.5

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Road map of Mesa's arterial streets and canal paths. In 2023, 86 of the city's 112 pedestrian crashes were on arterial roads
In Mesa, 20 of 112 pedestrian crashes in 2023 were hit and runs. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How do pedestrians get hit by cars in Mesa?

Mostly on the big arterials, and often by a driver who is turning. Of Mesa's 112 pedestrian crashes in 2023, 86 were on an arterial roadway.6 Almost half, 48.2%, came between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.7 In the 82 crashes where police listed the driver as at fault, 73.2% of those drivers were making a turn.8

Most common 2023 crash typesCount
Person walks out mid-block, outside a crosswalk23, or 21%9
Driver turning right, person in the crosswalk20, or 18%10

The city counted 7 pedestrians and 2 bicyclists killed in 2024.11 Mesa has pledged to cut deaths and serious injuries by 30% by 2030.12

Was I legally in a crosswalk in Mesa if there were no painted lines?

You may have been. Mesa's own safety brochure says crosswalks exist at every street intersection, even when you do not see one painted on the street.13 So do not let an insurance adjuster tell you there was no crosswalk just because the pavement was bare.

State law backs that up where signals are out or absent. Drivers must slow or stop for a person crossing in a crosswalk on their side of the road.4 Take a photo of the intersection from where you were walking. Note any signal, walk light or sign.

Can I still make a claim if I crossed outside a crosswalk in Mesa?

Yes, in many cases. If you cross outside a marked crosswalk or an intersection crosswalk, you must yield to cars, and that can affect who is blamed.14 But even when a walker makes a mistake, drivers must still use care to avoid hitting anyone on the road.15 Arizona then cuts your award by your share of the fault rather than wiping it out.16

Expect this argument. Police cited pedestrians as at fault in 30 of the 112 crashes in 2023,17 and in deadly pedestrian crashes from 2014 to 2024 the common citations were not using the crosswalk, disregarding the signal and failing to yield.18 Those numbers mean most of the 112 did not end with the walker being cited. They also mean you should not guess about what you did. Say what you remember and stop there.

What should I know about a bicycle accident claim in Mesa?

Riders have the same rights and duties as drivers on the road or shoulder, with some special rules.19 A driver passing you must leave at least three feet until safely past.20 Mesa counted 160 bike crashes in 2023, and 45 of them cited the bicyclist as at fault.321

Save the bike exactly as it is, along with your helmet and any camera or app showing your ride.

What about an e-bike or scooter crash in Mesa?

Mesa has its own rule on age. A rider must be at least 16 to ride any e-bike or e-scooter on public rights of way.22 Tell a lawyer what class of e-bike you were on and where you were riding, because the answer can change what rules apply to you.

Canal paths are not all the same. Some are city shared-use paths. Other canal paths and trails are managed by the canal owners.23 Knowing who runs the path tells you who may be responsible for a hazard on it, and whether a 180-day claim deadline applies.

What if the driver who hit me in Mesa drove away?

It happens often. In 2023, 20 pedestrian crashes and 17 bike crashes in Mesa were hit and runs.2425 Call 911, and ask anyone nearby to stay or leave a phone number. Your uninsured motorist coverage may help, even when you were on foot, so tell your insurer soon. If you get a partial plate or a car description, give it to Mesa Police right away.

What if a bus or light rail train hit me in Mesa?

Report it to the operator or Valley Metro Customer Service at (602) 253-5000.26 Claims go to Valley Metro Risk Management at 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300, in Phoenix, or [email protected].27 Arizona gives you 180 days to file a notice of claim with a public entity.28 A lawsuit against a public agency must follow within one year.29 A City of Mesa vehicle goes to the City Clerk instead.30

Which trauma center is in Mesa, and how do I get my records?

Banner Desert on South Dobson Road is state-designated Level I.31 Ask for your records through MRO Patient Central, the Banner route for any of its hospitals and urgent care offices.32

What should I ask a pedestrian accident lawyer in Mesa?

  • Do you think I was in a legal crosswalk?
  • Will you ask for signal timing and video from nearby stores?
  • How will you handle it if police cited me?
  • Whose insurance pays if the driver has no coverage?

Questions

Is every intersection in Mesa a crosswalk?

Mesa's brochure says crosswalks exist at every street intersection, even if none is painted.13

How long do I have after being hit by a car in Mesa?

Generally 2 years.5 If a public agency was involved, a claim is due within 180 days.30

Who investigates a pedestrian crash in Mesa?

Mesa Police on city streets.1 Arizona DPS on freeways and state highways.33

How old do you have to be to ride an e-bike in Mesa?

At least 16 on public rights of way.22

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Mesa

Hit while walking or biking

Arizona

Sources

  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. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “The City of Mesa had 112 reported pedestrian crashes in 2023”
  3. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “The City of Mesa had 160 bike-related crashes reported in 2023”
  4. A.R.S. § 28-792(A), checked 2026-11-08. “the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be in order to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the half of the roadway on which the vehicle is traveling”
  5. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  6. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Most pedestrian crashes occurred on an arterial roadway, comprising 86 total cases.”
  7. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “48.2% of pedestrian crashes occurred between the six-hour time frame between 3:00 pm to 9:00 pm.”
  8. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 82 pedestrian crashes where unit 1 was a motor vehicle 73.2% of drivers were reported as making a turning movement.”
  9. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrian Walk Out Midblock (Angle) – outside of crosswalk 23 (21%)”
  10. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Motorist Right Turn (Angle) – pedestrian in crosswalk (either direction): 20 (18%)”
  11. City of Mesa, City of Mesa Crashes presentation, checked 2026-11-08. “7 pedestrian, & 2 bicyclist fatalities (26%)”
  12. mesaaz.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “reducing fatalities and serious injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes by 30% by 2030”
  13. City of Mesa, Pedestrian Safety brochure, checked 2026-11-08. “Crosswalks exist at every street intersection, even if you don’t see one painted on the street.”
  14. A.R.S. § 28-793(A), checked 2026-11-08. “A pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles on the roadway.”
  15. A.R.S. § 28-794, checked 2026-11-08. “every driver of a vehicle shall: 1. Exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian on any roadway.”
  16. 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”
  17. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrians were cited as at fault in 30 of the 112 crashes.”
  18. City of Mesa, City of Mesa Crashes presentation, checked 2026-11-08. “Most pedestrian fatal crashes involved a pedestrian crossing the road with a cited violation of not using the crosswalk (35%), disregarding the signal (23%), or failing to yield to oncoming traffic (19%).”
  19. A.R.S. § 28-812(A), checked 2026-11-08. “A person riding a bicycle on a roadway or on a shoulder adjoining a roadway is granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle”
  20. 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.”
  21. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “of the 160 bicyclist crashes, 45 cited the bicyclist as at-fault.”
  22. City of Mesa, E-Bikes and E-Scooters, checked 2026-11-08. “In Mesa, a rider must be at least 16 years of age to ride any type of E-Bike or E-Scooter on public right of ways.”
  23. City of Mesa, Transportation Master Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Other canal paths and trails are managed by the canal owners”
  24. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 112 pedestrian crashes within Mesa in 2023, 20 were reported as hit and run collisions.”
  25. City of Mesa, 2023 Crash Report, checked 2026-11-08. “Of the 160 bicycle crashes within Mesa in 2023, 17 were reported as hit and run collisions.”
  26. Valley Metro, Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “On buses, report issues to the operator or a Valley Metro employee, or contact Customer Service at (602) 253-5000”
  27. Valley Metro, Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Valley Metro Attention: Risk Management 101 N. 1st Avenue, Suite 1300 Phoenix, AZ 85003”
  28. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  29. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  30. 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.”
  31. 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”
  32. 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.”
  33. 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”

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