Find an electric scooter accident lawyer in Tempe: new rules, apps and who pays

Tempe gives scooter riders the same rights and duties as bicycle riders. New rules took effect July 25, 2026. Scooter companies need insurance to operate here. You generally have 2 years to sue in Arizona. A claim against the City of Tempe over a bad path is due within 180 days.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (37)

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Road map of Tempe showing Mill Avenue and University Drive around the ASU campus, where shared scooters are common
Tempe scooter riders have the same rights as bicycle riders. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How many people ride scooters in Tempe?

A lot. Shared scooter riders logged 864,464 miles in Tempe from June 2024 to June 2025. Lime and Bird are the two companies the city lists. Nationally, federal safety staff put e-scooter emergency room visits at about 35 percent rental in one study. Motor vehicles and loss of control were the top hazards in scooter deaths.

Tempe's crash plan does not break out scooters as its own group, so we could not find a local count of scooter injuries. The city did form a council subcommittee on e-bike and scooter safety, and its last listed meeting was April 22, 2026.

What are the Tempe scooter rules an insurer will use against me?

Where you wereTempe ruleNote
Street at 25 mph or belowAdults must ride in the street.Being on the sidewalk here can count against you.
Sidewalk, no bike lane, limit over 25 mphAdults may ride there.Stay at 10 mph or less.
Passing someone walkingYield, slow to 5 mph and give an audible signal.Applies to bikes, e-bikes and scooters.
Multi-use pathState law allows scooters on bicycle and multiuse paths unless banned.Tempe cut the e-bike limit on these paths to 15 mph.
ASU walk-only zone, weekdays 8 to 5No wheeled vehicles.Check where the zone starts.
Inside an ASU buildingMotorized devices are not allowed.Mobility devices for disabilities are excluded.

Breaking a rule does not end a claim. Your award goes down by your share of the fault. Riders must be 16 or older unless a parent or guardian gives permission. For an underage rider, expect the question of who let them ride.

Who pays if I get hurt on a scooter in Tempe?

What happenedWho may payThe catch
A car hit youThe driver's auto insurance, $25,000 minimum per person.Your own uninsured coverage may help too.
The scooter failedThe scooter company or makerTempe's license packet requires insurance papers. We could not open the file to see the dollar limits.
A bad path or potholeCity of Tempe180 days to file with the City Clerk.
Another rider hit youThat rider, if anyoneScooters are outside Arizona's vehicle insurance rules, so there may be no policy.

That last row surprises people. Arizona does not treat an electric standup scooter as a motor vehicle, and it is not subject to the state's vehicle insurance provisions. So look to your own health and auto policies, and to any homeowner's or renter's policy that may cover the other person.

Did I give up my rights when I clicked agree on the app?

Maybe some of them. Lime's user agreement says the Federal Arbitration Act governs its arbitration clause. Federal law generally enforces written arbitration clauses. That can mean a private arbitrator instead of a jury.

Arizona adds a wrinkle. Its constitution says assumption of risk is always a question for a jury. How that fits with an app's terms is a question for a lawyer who has read your exact agreement. Take screenshots of the terms in your account now, before the app updates.

What should I save after a scooter crash in Tempe?

  1. Take a photo of the scooter's ID. Arizona requires a unique identification on these scooters.
  2. Screenshot your ride history, your receipt and the time you unlocked.
  3. Email the company. Tempe lists [email protected] for Lime and [email protected] for Bird.
  4. Report it to Tempe Police at 480-350-8311, or to ASU Police dispatch at 480-965-3456 if you were on campus.
  5. Photograph the pavement, curb cut or driveway. Tempe warns that drivers often roll across sidewalks to see traffic.
  6. If you own your scooter, keep the serial number, and ASU riders should know campus commuters must register theirs.

How long do I have after a scooter accident in Tempe?

Against a driver or a company, generally 2 years. Against the City of Tempe, 180 days for the claim and then 1 year to sue. If ASU's walkway caused it, the notice goes to the Arizona Board of Regents, not ASU. The app's terms may set a shorter time for some claims, so read them.

What should I ask a scooter accident lawyer in Tempe?

  • Have you dealt with Lime's or Bird's arbitration clause before?
  • Can the app's records show how fast I was going and where?
  • Whose insurance applies if no car touched me?
  • Does a city or ASU sidewalk make this a 180-day case?

Questions

Can I ride a scooter on the sidewalk in Tempe?

Only where the rules allow it. Adults must use the street at 25 mph or below, and may use the sidewalk if there is no bike lane and the limit is over 25 mph.

Do I need a helmet on a Lime scooter in Tempe?

Riders under 18 must wear one.

Does Lime or Bird pay if I get hurt?

Not always. They must carry insurance to operate here, but you may have to go through arbitration.

Does a scooter driver in Tempe need auto insurance?

No. Arizona's vehicle insurance rules do not apply to electric standup scooters.

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Sources (37)

  1. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Those riding e-bikes and scooters are granted all of the rights of and are subject to all of the duties applicable to those riding bikes”
  2. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “These new rules went into effect on Saturday, July 25”
  3. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “Scooters operated in Tempe by vendors require right-of-way use licenses, indemnification and insurance.”
  4. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  5. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “claims must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within 180 days after the cause of action accrues”
  6. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “When riding on a sidewalk, riders cannot exceed 10 mph and must slow down to 5 mph to pass pedestrians.”
  7. Lime User Agreement, checked 2026-11-09. “the Federal Arbitration Act (9 U.S.C. §§ 1-16) ("FAA") will govern its interpretation and enforcement”
  8. ASU, Walk-only zones, checked 2026-11-08. “Walk-only zones are enforced Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
  9. ASU, Walk-only zones, checked 2026-11-08. “During enforcement times, no one may ride, drive or park wheeled vehicles in Walk-only zones.”
  10. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Riders under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet if operating a bike, e-bike, or scooter.”
  11. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “Riders logged 864,464 miles from June 2024 - June 2025”
  12. City of Tempe, Shared Active Transportation Vehicles, checked 2026-11-08. “Lime (green scooters) 1-888-546-3345”
  13. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Rental e-scooters accounted for 35 percent of the e-scooter-related ED visits in the special study.”
  14. CPSC, checked 2026-11-09. “Motor vehicle accidents and control issues were the top hazards associated with e- scooter fatalities.”
  15. City of Tempe, Motorized and Electric Mobility Device Safety Subcommittee, checked 2026-11-08. “The most recent Council Subcommittee meeting was held on April 22, 2026.”
  16. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Must ride in the street when the speed limit is 25 mph or below.”
  17. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “May ride on the sidewalk if there is no bike lane available and the speed limit is greater than 25 mph.”
  18. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Must yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian; slow down to 5 mph; and give an audible signal before passing.”
  19. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-819, checked 2026-11-09. “an electric standup scooter may be used on bicycle and multiuse paths”
  20. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “The speed limit for electric bicycles on multi-use paths was lowered from 20 mph to 15 mph”
  21. Arizona State University, Walk-only zones, checked 2026-11-09. “Motorized vehicles or devices may not be brought into any ASU building”
  22. 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”
  23. 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.”
  24. Arizona Revised Statutes 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “uninsured motorist coverage that extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy”
  25. City of Tempe, Shared Active Transportation Vehicle, checked 2026-11-09. “Insurance Requirements PDF”
  26. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-819, checked 2026-11-09. “is not subject to the provisions of this title relating to certificates of title, registration, vehicle license tax, driver licenses or vehicle insurance”
  27. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-101, checked 2026-11-09. “an electric bicycle, an electric miniature scooter, an electric standup scooter or a motorized skateboard”
  28. 9 U.S.C. 2, checked 2026-11-09. “shall be valid, irrevocable, and enforceable”
  29. Arizona Constitution, article 18, section 5, checked 2026-11-09. “The defense of contributory negligence or of assumption of risk shall, in all cases whatsoever, be a question of fact and shall, at all times, be left to the jury.”
  30. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-819, checked 2026-11-09. “must have a unique identification that consists of letters or numbers, or both”
  31. City of Tempe, Shared Active Transportation Vehicle, checked 2026-11-09. “1-888-546-3345 or [email protected]”
  32. City of Tempe, Tempe 311, checked 2026-11-08. “For a police non-emergency, please call 480-350-8311.”
  33. ASU Police Contact Information, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-emergencies call 480-965-3456”
  34. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “Motorists exiting driveways often drive across the sidewalk to get a better view of traffic”
  35. Arizona State University, Bike and Scooter Registration, checked 2026-11-09. “ASU students, faculty and staff who commute to campus via bike or scooter must register them.”
  36. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  37. Arizona Board of Regents, Service of Process, checked 2026-11-08. “are not authorized to accept service of lawsuits or notices of claim”

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