Find a bicycle accident lawyer in Tucson: rules, deadlines and who pays

Tucson Police handle most bike crashes on city streets. Arizona drivers must leave you at least 3 feet when passing. Suing a driver gives you 2 years. If a broken City of Tucson street caused your crash, you have only 180 days to file a claim with the City Clerk.

Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (34)

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Road map of Tucson showing the river paths of The Loop and the bike boulevard streets that connect to them
City of Tucson street defect? You have 180 days to file a claim. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

How often are cyclists hurt in Tucson?

ADOT counted 140 bicycle crashes in Pima County in 2024, with 9 people killed and 132 hurt. City materials list 4 bicyclists among the 95 people who died on Tucson roads in 2025.

Tucson has built a lot for riders. Its bicycle boulevards are home streets set up to favor bikes, and the city has mapped 193 more miles of them. Most serious trouble still comes where riders meet fast traffic. City data on people walking shows 88% of fatal and incapacitating crashes on arterial roads, and bike riders cross those same roads.

Which Tucson bike rules can affect my claim?

RuleWhat it saysWhy it matters to you
Passing distanceA driver must leave at least 3 feetA sideswipe or close pass points at the driver
Car doorsNo opening a street-side door when traffic is close enough to be a hazardBeing doored is often a clear rule violation
SidewalksNo riding on public sidewalks unless signs allow itAn insurer may use this to blame you
Kids and helmetsRiders and passengers under 18 must wear oneExpect questions if a child was hurt
E-bikesNo one under 16 may operate oneMatters if a teen was riding

Breaking a Tucson bike rule, such as riding on a sidewalk, does not end your case. A jury lowers your award by the share of blame it puts on you. So if you were on the sidewalk because the bike lane was blocked, say so and keep any photo that shows it. Riders also may move out of the right edge for hazards on the road.

Who pays when a car hits a cyclist in Tucson?

  • Start with the liability insurer of the driver who hit you. Arizona's minimum is only $25,000 per person.
  • Your own auto policy may also apply. Insurers must offer uninsured motorist coverage in writing, and the law says it covers all persons insured under the policy. Ask your agent about your bike crash.
  • A company may pay if the driver was on the job. Get the name on the truck or van.
  • The City or County may be responsible if the road itself caused the crash. That claim has its own clock.

Bike crashes with cars are the most serious kind, even though simple falls are more common. A low policy limit can run out fast. A bicycle accident lawyer in Tucson can check every policy before you settle for the first offer.

What if I crashed on The Loop in Tucson?

The Chuck Huckelberry Loop has more than 138 miles of paved paths and bike lanes. It runs through unincorporated Pima County, Marana, Oro Valley, Tucson and South Tucson, so the spot where you fell decides which government you deal with. Write down the nearest bridge, wash or trailhead.

If another rider hit you, the claim is against that person, and home or renters insurance may be the only money. On City of Tucson paths, a rider must yield to walkers and horses and slow to 10 miles per hour before passing. The Loop is open sunrise to sunset, and nighttime use is prohibited, so expect questions if you crashed after dark.

If a path defect caused the fall, the Pima County Clerk of the Board accepts claims served on the county. We could not find county instructions written for the public, so confirm the right office before you send anything.

How do I file a claim over a bad Tucson street?

  1. Take photos of the pothole, broken signal or loose gravel with something for scale.
  2. Report it to Tucson 311, which takes reports on potholes and signal problems.
  3. Fill out the city's Notice of Claim. Put a dollar figure on the form, because Arizona requires a specific settlement amount.
  4. Email it to [email protected] or mail it to PO Box 27210, Tucson 85726, within 180 days.
  5. Confirm the Clerk got it. If the city does not answer within 60 days, the claim counts as denied.
  6. File any lawsuit within 1 year. Small claims court in Pima County cannot hear a case against the City of Tucson.

How do I get my bike crash report in Tucson?

Tucson Police sells collision reports through Crashdocs. Directly from the department, a report costs $5, plus 25 cents per page after 15 pages. If you crashed on a state highway, ask Arizona DPS instead. If you went to Banner University Medical Center, one of Tucson's Level I trauma centers, ask for your chart through MRO Patient Central.

Questions

Can I ride my bike on the sidewalk in Tucson?

Not on public sidewalks, unless signs specifically allow it. A violation does not end an injury claim, but it can reduce it.

How long do I have to sue after a bike accident in Tucson?

Generally 2 years. A claim against the City of Tucson is due in 180 days.

Does a Tucson driver have to give me 3 feet?

Yes. Arizona law requires at least 3 feet when passing a bicycle.

Who do I call about a hazard on The Loop?

Pima County runs The Loop with its partner cities. If you were hurt, ask a lawyer which government to notify within 180 days.

Bicycle accident in Tucson? See if you are owed money.

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Sources (34)

  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. 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.”
  3. A.R.S. § 12-542, checked 2026-11-08. “within two years after the cause of action accrues”
  4. City of Tucson, File a Notice of Claim, checked 2026-11-08. “Claimants have 180 days from an accident or injury to file a claim against the City.”
  5. Tucson City Code 20-26, checked 2026-11-09. “It shall be unlawful for any person to open any door of a vehicle on the street side thereof when other moving vehicles are so close thereto as to constitute a hazard.”
  6. 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”
  7. ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, checked 2026-11-08. “| Pima | 140 | 9 | 131 | 9 | 132 |”
  8. City of Tucson, Complete Streets Coordinating Council materials 04/22/2026, checked 2026-11-08. “last year there were 95 total fatalities (38 auto, 34 pedestrian, 21 motorcycle, 4 bicycles).”
  9. City of Tucson, Bicycle Boulevards, checked 2026-11-09. “The Department of Transportation has identified 193 miles of future bicycle boulevards along 64 corridors”
  10. City of Tucson, Pedestrian Safety Action Plan (2020), checked 2026-11-08. “88% of fatal and incapacitating pedestrian crashes occur on or at minor or principal arterial roadways, which collectively comprise 11% of centerline miles in Tucson.”
  11. Tucson City Code 5-2, checked 2026-11-09. “It shall be unlawful to ride a bicycle on any public sidewalks, or upon a designated pedestrian path in any public park, unless signs are posted specifically permitting bicycling.”
  12. Tucson City Code 20-29, checked 2026-11-09. “No person under eighteen (18) years of age shall ride a bicycle or be a passenger on a bicycle”
  13. Tucson City Code 5-13, checked 2026-11-09. “No person under the age of sixteen (16) may operate an electric bicycle.”
  14. 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”
  15. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-815, checked 2026-11-09. “If reasonably necessary to avoid conditions, including fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, animals or surface hazards.”
  16. 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.”
  17. Arizona Revised Statutes 20-259.01, checked 2026-11-09. “uninsured motorist coverage that extends to and covers all persons insured under the policy”
  18. NHTSA, checked 2026-11-09. “There are two main types of crashes: the most common (falls), and the most serious (the ones with cars).”
  19. Pima County, About The Loop, checked 2026-11-09. “More than 138 miles of paved pathways and bike lanes have already been completed”
  20. Pima County, About The Loop, checked 2026-11-09. “The Loop extends through unincorporated Pima County, Marana, Oro Valley, Tucson, and South Tucson.”
  21. Tucson City Code 5-2, checked 2026-11-09. “shall slow to ten (10) miles per hour and communicate to the pedestrian or equestrian rider before overtaking or passing”
  22. Pima County, About The Loop, checked 2026-11-09. “The Chuck Huckelberry Loop is open from sunrise to sunset, nighttime use is prohibited.”
  23. Pima County, Clerk of the Board, checked 2026-11-09. “accepts claims and litigation served on Pima County”
  24. City of Tucson, Street Maintenance Requests, checked 2026-11-08. “Damaged pavement markings: striping, crosswalks, or legends”
  25. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-09. “The claim shall also contain a specific amount for which the claim can be settled and the facts supporting that amount.”
  26. beta.tucsonaz.gov, checked 2026-11-08. “It is your sole responsibility to confirm that the Clerk’s office has received your form.”
  27. A.R.S. § 12-821, checked 2026-11-08. “shall be brought within one year after the cause of action accrues and not afterward”
  28. Arizona Revised Statutes 22-503, checked 2026-11-08. “Actions against this state, its political subdivisions or an officer or employee of the state or its political subdivisions in his official capacity.”
  29. Tucson Police, Request Public Records, checked 2026-11-08. “Collision reports are stored electronically in a secure database and are available for purchase at Crashdocs.”
  30. Tucson Police, Records Request Form, checked 2026-11-08. “$5.00 per report plus $0.25 per page after 15 pages.”
  31. 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”
  32. Arizona DHS, State Designated Trauma Centers, checked 2026-11-08. “1625 N. Campbell Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719 11/11/24 11/11/27”
  33. 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.”
  34. Arizona Revised Statutes 12-821.01, checked 2026-11-08. “within one hundred eighty days after the cause of action accrues”

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