Hit on a bike in Phoenix: find a bicycle accident lawyer and protect your claim
Phoenix Police take bike crashes on city streets. A rider has the same rights as a driver, and drivers must leave at least 3 feet when passing. You generally have 2 years to sue. If a broken road or city vehicle caused it, you have 180 days to file a claim.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (30)
Where do bike crashes happen most in Phoenix?
On fast, wide streets. A city study looked at bicyclist deaths and severe injuries and found around 45% of them on 40 mph streets, which make up about 25% of the road miles studied. If a driver hit you on a street like that, you are part of a pattern the city has already measured.
The city counted 2,671 bicyclist injury crashes from 2016 through 2023. It listed 304 bicycle collisions in 2024. From 2020 through 2024, 5% of fatal crashes in Phoenix involved someone on a bike. Across Maricopa County, ADOT counted 991 bike crashes in 2024, with 27 riders killed and 973 hurt.
Phoenix lists more than 1,194 lane miles of standard bike lane and about 75 miles of paved shared paths. A painted lane does not stop a right-turning car. Note whether you were in a lane, on a path or on the shoulder, because it can matter when fault is argued.
What rules will the insurance company use against a Phoenix cyclist?
| Rule | What it says | How it comes up |
|---|---|---|
| Same as a driver | A rider on the road or shoulder has a driver's rights and duties | You can be blamed for running a light, and a driver can be blamed for cutting you off |
| Passing | At least 3 feet until safely past | Helps when a car clipped you or forced you off the road |
| Keeping right | Hazards and lanes too narrow to share are exceptions | Answers the claim that you were too far into the lane |
| Sidewalks | Yield to people walking | Comes up if you hit someone, or were hit at a driveway |
| E-bikes | Phoenix Police list e-bikes as banned on sidewalks, with a minimum age of 16 | Can be raised as your share of fault |
Breaking a rule does not end your case. Arizona lowers what you receive by your share of the blame, but you can still recover. If a jury puts 20% on you, your award drops by 20%.
Who pays when a car hits a cyclist in Phoenix?
- The driver's liability insurance comes first. Arizona only requires $25,000 per person, and that can run out fast after a hospital stay.
- Your own auto policy may help if you bought uninsured motorist coverage. Insurers must offer it in writing, and it extends to everyone insured under the policy. Ask your insurer in writing if it applies while you ride.
- If the driver was working, such as making deliveries, the employer or its insurer may also be involved.
- Your health plan may pay first and ask to be repaid from a settlement.
What if a bad road caused my bike crash in Phoenix?
A pothole, a lifted slab or debris in a bike lane changes everything about your deadline. A claim against the city is due in 180 days, with the Risk Management form filed at the City Clerk Department. Each injured person needs a separate form. The address is 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor. If it fails, you have one year from the crash to sue.
Take photos with something for scale before anyone repairs it. Then report it. For a pothole or lifted sidewalk, Phoenix says to call 602-262-6441, a line watched around the clock. A county road goes to the Clerk of the Board instead.
A sidewalk is different. City code makes the owner or lessee of the lot next to it responsible for repairs, so more than one party may be involved.
What should I do after a bike crash in Phoenix?
- Call 911 and get checked, even if you feel fine. Adrenaline hides injuries.
- Get the driver's name, plate and insurance, and any witness numbers.
- Keep the bike as it is. Do not fix it. Save your helmet and torn clothing.
- Photograph the scene, the lane markings and the nearest cross street.
- Ask nearby stores for camera video soon, before it records over.
- Request the report. Phoenix Police use an online portal, and a digital copy is free for non-commercial requests.
- If the crash happened on a state highway, wait at least 14 days and call DPS.
When should I call a bicycle accident lawyer in Phoenix?
Call early if you broke a bone, hit your head, the driver left, or a road defect or city vehicle was involved. Ask whether the lawyer has handled bike cases, how they will get video, and who may share the blame. Most injury lawyers work on a percentage of what they recover, but confirm it in writing before you sign.
Questions
How long do I have to sue after a bike accident in Phoenix?
Generally 2 years. A claim against the city is due in 180 days. A child's deadline usually does not start until age 18.
Can I ride on the sidewalk in Phoenix?
A regular bike rider on a sidewalk must yield to people walking. Phoenix Police list e-bikes as banned on sidewalks.
Does it hurt my case if I was not wearing a helmet?
It may be argued. Arizona cuts an award by your share of fault, but what counts as fault depends on the facts. Ask a lawyer about your case.
Can I get a police report for a bike crash in Phoenix?
Yes. Use the Phoenix Police portal and choose Traffic Crash. Or go to 100 W. Washington St., Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bicycle accident in Phoenix? See if you are owed money.
A free case review. $0 upfront. No fee unless you win.
See if I’m owed moneySources (30)
- 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.”
- 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”
- 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.”
- A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “Be filed with the City Clerk Department within 180 days after the cause of action accrues,”
- City of Phoenix, myPHX311 Street Maintenance, checked 2026-11-08. “please call 602-262-6441”
- City of Phoenix, Pedestrian Risk Network Report (March 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “over half of all pedestrian KSIs and around 45% of all bicyclist KSIs studied occur on streets with 40 mph posted speed limit”
- City of Phoenix, Pedestrian Risk Network Report (March 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “5,832 pedestrian and 2,671 bicyclist injury crashes in the City occurred in the 8-year study period”
- City of Phoenix, 2024 Traffic Collision Summary (July 2025), checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrian Collisions 806 Bicycle Collisions 304”
- City of Phoenix, 2025 Road Safety Action Plan Annual Report, checked 2026-11-08. “5% involved BICYCLISTS”
- ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-09. “| Maricopa | 991 | 27 | 964 | 27 | 973 |”
- City of Phoenix, Active Transportation Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Standard bike lane: 1,194.54 lane miles”
- City of Phoenix, Active Transportation Program, checked 2026-11-09. “Shared use path - paved: 75.55 centerline miles”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 28-815, checked 2026-11-09. “If the lane in which the person is operating the bicycle is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.”
- Phoenix City Code 36-113, checked 2026-11-09. “Whenever any person is riding a bicycle upon a sidewalk he shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian.”
- Phoenix Police, E-Bikes, E-Scooters and Motor Driven Cycles, checked 2026-11-09. “Electric bicycles are prohibited on sidewalks.”
- Phoenix Police, E-Bikes, E-Scooters and Motor Driven Cycles, checked 2026-11-09. “Electric bicycle age - 16 years old minimum”
- 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”
- 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.”
- 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”
- Arizona Revised Statutes 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “uninsured motorist coverage that extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “a copy of the claim form to: City of Phoenix City Clerk Department 200 W. Washington Street, 15th Floor Phoenix, AZ 85003”
- A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
- Maricopa County, Notice of Claim form (rev. 09/16/2024), checked 2026-11-08. “return by mail or hand-delivery to: Clerk of the Board of Supervisors 301 W. Jefferson 10th Floor Phoenix AZ 85003”
- Phoenix City Code 31-54, checked 2026-11-08. “It shall be the duty of the owner or the lessee of any lot or parcel abutting upon any sidewalk now or hereafter constructed in the City to keep and maintain such sidewalk in repair.”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “The following 10 options are available on the portal to submit Public Record requests:”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “$10.00 flat fee $0.25 per page (printed only) Traffic Crash +$0.25 per page Free for digital release”
- Arizona DPS, Request Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Please wait at least 14 days to check on report availability”
- 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”
- phoenix.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “Public Record and Services Bureau 100 W. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85003”