Hit on foot, on a bike or on an e-bike in Tempe: your rights and finding a pedestrian or bicycle accident lawyer

Last checked November 8, 2026

Tempe Police handle crashes on city streets, and most reports are on BuyCrash.12 If ASU Police took your report, call its Records Unit at 480-965-5645.3 Tempe gives e-bike and scooter riders the rights of bicyclists.4 You generally have 2 years to sue a driver,5 but only 180 days to claim against the city.6

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Road map of Tempe showing University Drive east of Rural Road, where the city's safety plan studied long gaps between pedestrian crossings
Tempe e-bike riders have the same rights as bicyclists. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How often are people walking or biking badly hurt in Tempe?

Crash for crash, far more often than people in cars. Tempe's safety plan counted crashes on city streets from fiscal 2020 through 2024.7

Who was involvedAll crashesFatal crashesSerious injury crashes
Person walking46582396510
Person on a bicycle53811893610
Motor vehicles only16,2711224913410

That works out to nearly 1 in 5 pedestrian crashes ending in death or serious injury, and about 1 in 12 bicycle crashes. For crashes between vehicles alone, it is about 1 in 100. Tempe had 8 to 10 of these severe bike crashes every year of the study.13 In 2024, Maricopa County had 991 bicycle crashes.14

What are Tempe's e-bike and scooter rules since July 2026?

Tempe has over 220 miles of bikeways, and it rewrote its riding rules in July 2026.1516 The changes began July 25, 2026.17 If your crash came before that date, ask which version applied.

Where you wereTempe's rule
SidewalkNo faster than 10 mph, and 5 mph when passing someone walking16
Multi-use path on an e-bike15 mph limit, down from 20 mph18
Street with a limit of 25 mph or lessAdults must ride in the street19
Faster street with no bike laneAdults may use the sidewalk,20 with e-bike motors off21
Rider under 18Must wear a helmet22

Breaking one of these rules does not end your claim. Arizona lowers what you can recover by your share of the blame, and you can still recover the rest.23 Riding against traffic on a sidewalk is the choice Tempe singles out as raising the danger, so expect questions about your direction.24

Drivers have duties too. State law gives a person riding on the road the same rights as a driver,25 and a passing driver must leave at least three feet.26

I was hit crossing the street in Tempe outside a crosswalk. Do I still have a case?

You may. If you cross outside a crosswalk, you must yield to cars,27 and that can shift some of the blame to you. But drivers must still use care to avoid hitting anyone on the road.28

Tempe's own studies help here. The city says long distances between signals or marked crossings often push people to cross in unsafe spots.29 Its plan uses University Drive east of Rural Road, with student housing on one side and ASU on the other, as an example.30 In mid-block crashes that killed or badly hurt someone, drivers failing to yield were cited in 44.4% of them. Not using a crosswalk was cited in 8.7%.3132

Darkness matters as well. More than half of pedestrian crashes in the study happened between 6 p.m. and midnight, and so did two of five bike crashes.33 Photograph the lighting and go back at the same hour if you can.

Who has my report if I was hit near ASU or on Mill Avenue in Tempe?

Where it happenedWho to ask
A Tempe streetTempe Police on BuyCrash with your GO number.34 Fatal crash and DUI reports are not online, so ask Records.3536
ASU's campus, if ASU Police respondedASU Police Records, Monday to Thursday. Standard fees apply.3 For dispatch, call 480-965-3456.37
A streetcar on Mill or AshTempe Police for the crash, and report it to Valley Metro at 602-253-5000.3839

Read your report closely. Tempe's plan found that 74% of pedestrian crashes and 67% of bike crashes were labeled other or unknown crash types.40 A vague label does not mean nothing happened, so write your own account.

On campus, ASU's walk-only zones run Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.41 During those hours no one may ride bicycles or scooters there.42 If a delivery cart or rider hit you in one, note the time and the exact spot.

What if a Lime or Bird scooter was part of my Tempe crash?

Shared scooters are common here, with 864,464 miles ridden in one year.43 Tempe says vendors need right-of-way licenses, indemnification and insurance.44 We could not confirm the dollar amounts of that insurance, so ask the company in writing.

Photograph the scooter's number before it gets moved. Tempe lists Lime at 1-888-546-3345 and Bird at 1-866-205-2442.45

Who pays after a pedestrian or bicycle accident in Tempe?

  • The driver's insurer. Arizona policies must carry at least $25,000 per person.46
  • Your own uninsured motorist coverage, if you bought it.47 Ask your insurer whether it covers you while walking or riding.
  • A public agency, if a city vehicle or street defect played a part. Send the City Clerk your claim within 180 days.648
  • ASU, through a claim served on the Arizona Board of Regents, because the university cannot accept one.49 The state's 180-day limit applies to public bodies.50

What should I save after a bike or pedestrian crash in Tempe?

  1. Keep the bike, e-bike or helmet as it is. Do not repair or throw away anything yet.
  2. Ask about video in the first days. Tempe police can review footage from hundreds of city cameras after a traffic incident.51
  3. Request the ambulance record from Tempe Fire Medical Rescue through JustFOIA or at 480-858-7262.52
  4. Get your hospital file. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center has an emergency department on Mill Avenue,53 and Banner Desert in Mesa is a Level I trauma center.54
  5. Note the driveway or signal involved. Tempe warns that drivers often pull across sidewalks at driveways.55

Questions

Can I file a claim if I was riding an e-bike on the sidewalk in Tempe?

Yes, though your speed and whether the sidewalk was allowed will come up.1620 Arizona only reduces your recovery by your share of fault.23

How long do I have after being hit by a car while walking in Tempe?

Generally 2 years to sue the driver.5 If a public agency is involved, the claim is due in 180 days and a lawsuit in 1 year.5056 A child usually has longer.57

Does a Tempe driver have to stop for me in a crosswalk?

Where there is no working signal, drivers must slow or stop for a person crossing on their side of the road.58

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Tempe

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. Tempe Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Accident reports approved for public release are available online from November 1, 2021 to the present.”
  3. ASU Police Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Standard fees apply to accident reports.”
  4. 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”
  5. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  6. 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”
  7. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “FSI crashes along all streets within the City's limits other than access-controlled freeways”
  8. City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Pedestrian-involved 465 2.6% 88 21.9%”
  9. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Fatal (K) 24 24 8 23 75”
  10. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Serious Injury (A) 134 88 36 65 317”
  11. City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Bicyclist-involved 538 3.0% 44 10.9%”
  12. City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “Motor Vehicles Only 16,271 91.6% 158 39.3%”
  13. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “consistent across the study period, ranging from 8 to 10 crashes per year”
  14. ADOT 2024 Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “Maricopa 991 27 964 27 973”
  15. City of Tempe, Bicycle & Pedestrian Info, checked 2026-11-08. “over 220 miles of bikeways”
  16. 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.”
  17. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “These new rules went into effect on Saturday, July 25”
  18. 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”
  19. 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.”
  20. 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.”
  21. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “If riding on the sidewalk, e-bike motors must be disengaged.”
  22. 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.”
  23. 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”
  24. City of Tempe, Bike and Scooter Safety, checked 2026-11-08. “That risk increases even more when riding on the sidewalk against the flow of traffic.”
  25. 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”
  26. 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.”
  27. 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.”
  28. 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.”
  29. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Gaps & Needs, checked 2026-11-08. “Long distances between signalized intersections or marked crossings often force people to cross at unsafe locations.”
  30. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “from the student housing on the south side of the street to the ASU facilities on the north side of the street”
  31. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Failure To Yield Right Of Way 44.4%”
  32. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “Did Not Use Crosswalk 8.7%”
  33. City of Tempe, Safety Action Plan (final, October 2026), checked 2026-11-08. “the evening and late at night; more than half of pedestrian”
  34. Tempe Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “You will need the Tempe Police Department report number (GO#), date of accident, and a valid credit card”
  35. Tempe Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “accidents involving criminal reports such as DUIs and fatal traffic accident reports are not available”
  36. Tempe Police, Public Records Request, checked 2026-11-08. “Email to [email protected]”
  37. ASU Police Contact Information, checked 2026-11-08. “Non-emergencies call 480-965-3456”
  38. City of Tempe, Transit, checked 2026-11-08. “Call 602-253-5000 for bus, Orbit, light rail, streetcar and express route complaints”
  39. Valley Metro, Tempe Streetcar, checked 2026-11-08. “differs from light rail in that it shares the roadway with vehicle traffic”
  40. Tempe Safety Action Plan, checked 2026-11-08. “74 percent of pedestrian-involved crashes and 67 percent of bicyclist”
  41. ASU, Walk-only zones, checked 2026-11-08. “Walk-only zones are enforced Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.”
  42. ASU, Walk-only zones, checked 2026-11-08. “During enforcement times, no one may ride, drive or park wheeled vehicles in Walk-only zones.”
  43. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “Riders logged 864,464 miles from June 2024 - June 2025”
  44. Tempe Transportation Plan 2050, Understanding, checked 2026-11-08. “Scooters operated in Tempe by vendors require right-of-way use licenses, indemnification and insurance.”
  45. City of Tempe, Shared Active Transportation Vehicles, checked 2026-11-08. “Lime (green scooters) 1-888-546-3345”
  46. 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.”
  47. 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”
  48. City of Tempe, Risk Management, checked 2026-11-08. “City of Tempe City Clerk's Office 31 E. 5th Street, 2nd Floor Tempe, AZ 85281”
  49. Arizona Board of Regents, Service of Process, checked 2026-11-08. “are not authorized to accept service of lawsuits or notices of claim”
  50. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”
  51. City of Tempe, Vision Zero, checked 2026-11-08. “so that police can easily review footage to determine what occurred at traffic incidents”
  52. Tempe Fire Medical Rescue, Medical Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Record requests by phone 480-858-7262”
  53. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center, checked 2026-11-08. “The emergency entrance is on the West side of Mill Avenue.”
  54. Arizona Department of Health Services, Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “Banner Desert Medical Center 1400 South Dobson Rd., Meza, AZ 85202 06/10/24 06/10/27”
  55. 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”
  56. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  57. 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”
  58. 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”

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