Tempe Bicycle Accident Lawyer
Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Tempe, Arizona: Help After a Bicycle Crash
A bicycle accident lawyer in Tempe can explain who was at fault, answer the insurer's helmet and lane arguments and tell you which deadlines apply, usually 2 years from the injury (A.R.S. 12-542(1)). A Tempe bicycle accident often happens where riders, e-bikes and rental scooters mix with cars around the ASU campus, Mill Avenue and Tempe Town Lake. We start by phone, and your first call is a free case review.
- Filing deadline
- 2 years from the injury
- A.R.S. 12-542(1)
- Rights on the road
- A bicycle rider has the rights and duties of a vehicle driver
- A.R.S. 28-812
- Bicycle helmets
- No statewide law; some local ordinances for minors
- Local ordinances
Why a Bicycle Accident Lawyer in Tempe Sees So Many Riders Hurt
Tempe Tourism says the city has 217 miles of bike paths, from desert trails to bike lanes, and Tempe Town Lake has five miles of paths for cycling, jogging and in-line skating around the lake. Bicycles ride on Valley Metro Rail and the Tempe Streetcar, and every Tempe bus carries up to three bikes. Electric scooter rentals operate in the walkable downtown, and ASU's Tempe campus enrolled more than 55,500 students in fall 2025. The result is a dense mix of riders, walkers and drivers.
That mix produces a familiar set of crashes: a driver turns right across a bike lane, a car door opens into a rider, a driver pulls out of a side street or a parking lot, or a rider on a path meets a car at a crossing. The same crashes happen to an e-bike rider and to a person on a rental scooter, and the law treats them a little differently, as the table below shows.
Arizona
Tempe Rules for Bicycles, E-Bikes and Electric Scooters
A bicycle accident attorney in Tempe checks these rules in every case, because Tempe passed its own rules for e-bikes and scooters. These are summaries of the ordinances as reported when they passed, and the city code may have changed since, so ask us before you rely on a detail.
| Vehicle | Who may ride | Helmet | Where and how fast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycle | No Tempe age minimum reported | No statewide law; Tempe requires one under 18 | Same rights and duties as a driver on the road (A.R.S. 28-812) |
| E-bike (2017 ordinance) | 16 or older | Required under 18 | 28 mph or the posted limit on roads and bike lanes; 20 mph on multi-use paths; $100 minimum fine |
| Electric scooter (2019 rules) | 16 or older | Required under 18 | Bike lanes, or with traffic on streets under 25 mph; yield to pedestrians; first citation can be $100 |
Source: Cronkite News, January 2017; KJZZ and KTAR, August 2019; A.R.S. 28-812
The Helmet Argument
Arizona has no statewide bicycle helmet law for riders of any age. Several cities and counties require riders under 18 to wear a helmet, and Tempe's 2019 rules require anyone under 18 to wear a helmet on bikes, skateboards, scooters or roller skates. Insurers often raise helmets anyway to argue that an adult rider caused part of the injury. Fault is decided on the facts, and Arizona uses pure comparative fault, so a share of blame lowers your recovery instead of ending it (A.R.S. 12-2505).
Arizona
Where Tempe Riders Are Hurt and Treated
These places come up in bicycle, e-bike and scooter claims, and an electric scooter accident lawyer in Tempe starts with the location. It tells us what a city or business camera may have recorded.
Tempe Town Lake paths and Tempe Beach Park
Five miles of paths circle the lake, shared by cyclists, walkers and joggers, and event crowds fill Tempe Beach Park.
Mill Avenue
Rental scooters, bikes and the Tempe Streetcar share downtown streets with parked and turning cars.
Rio Salado Parkway and Apache Boulevard
Streets with rail or streetcar tracks, where a bike tire can catch a rail and a turning driver may not see a rider.
University Drive from 52nd Street to Hardy Drive
A city safety corridor on the 2024 list.
McClintock Drive from Baseline Road to Guadalupe Road
A city safety corridor on the 2024 list, selected using three years of serious and fatal crash data.
HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center, 1500 S. Mill Ave
Emergency department near the downtown core. The state's December 2025 list shows no designated trauma center with a Tempe address; the closest Level I centers are in Mesa and Chandler.
What an E Bike Accident Lawyer in Tempe Does With the Common Defenses
Insurance companies and attorneys often negotiate the percentage of fault in a two-wheel case, and the same few arguments come up.
What insurers often argue
- The rider was not in the bike lane, or was riding on a sidewalk.
- The rider was on a phone or wearing headphones.
- The e-bike or scooter was going too fast for the path.
- The rider was not wearing a helmet.
What evidence can answer it
- Photos of the lane markings and where the vehicles ended up, if safely possible, before anything is moved.
- Video from nearby businesses, campus cameras and the rider's own device.
- Rental app data, which may show the time and location of the ride.
- Medical records from the first visit, which show when symptoms began.
Step by step
What to Do After a Bicycle or Scooter Crash in Tempe
A scooter accident lawyer in Tempe will ask for these things first.
- 1
Get checked out.
Many injuries show no or seemingly minor symptoms at first, especially to the head, neck and shoulder.
- 2
Report the crash.
If you believe you were not at fault, make sure you explain this to the officer, and ask for the report number. Tempe Police usually writes the report for crashes on city streets.
- 3
Keep the bike or scooter as it is.
Do not repair or return it. If it is a rental, save the receipt, the app screens and your ride history.
- 4
Keep your helmet and clothing.
Cracks and scuffs show how you fell and how hard you were hit.
- 5
Do not agree to a recorded statement.
An early comment can injure your legal rights. Call us at (602) 584-8054 instead.
Courts, Government Claims and Neighboring Cities
A bicycle injury lawsuit is filed in Maricopa County Superior Court, which has a Central Court Building at 201 W. Jefferson in Phoenix and a Southeast location at 222 E. Javelina Ave. in Mesa. The court's assignment rules decide where a case is heard. If the road itself was the problem, or a public vehicle was involved, a notice of claim against a public entity generally must be filed within 180 days after the claim accrues, with a lawsuit generally following within one year (A.R.S. 12-821.01, 12-821). These rules have exceptions, so call us. See our notice of claim guide and comparative negligence guide.
Our office is at 5635 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 170, Scottsdale, AZ 85250, about 7.7 miles by road from downtown Tempe, and we start by phone. We also handle bicycle claims in Mesa, Chandler and Scottsdale, and the statewide rules are in our guide from an Arizona bicycle accident lawyer. The city overview is on our personal injury lawyer in Tempe page.
Related pages
Types of bicycle accident claims
Questions
Questions about Tempe bicycle accident cases
Do I need a helmet to make a bicycle claim in Tempe?
No. Arizona has no statewide helmet law for riders of any age, and Tempe's 2019 rules require a helmet for riders under 18. Insurers often raise the issue anyway, and we help you respond.
I was on a rental scooter. Can I still make a claim?
Yes. A rental scooter rider has the same right to bring a claim against a driver who caused a crash. Tempe's 2019 rules cover where scooters may be ridden, and we save the rental receipt and app data.
Who writes the report after a bike crash in Tempe?
Tempe Police usually writes the report for crashes on Tempe city streets. Ask the officer for the report number, and see our guide to getting a police report in Arizona.
What if a pothole or road defect caused my crash?
A claim against a public entity generally needs a notice of claim within 180 days after it accrues (A.R.S. 12-821.01). These rules have exceptions, so call us and we will explain how they apply to you.
Which hospital would treat a serious bike crash near Tempe?
The state's December 2025 list shows no designated trauma center with a Tempe address. HonorHealth Tempe Medical Center has an emergency department, and the closest Level I centers are Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa and Chandler Regional Medical Center in Chandler.
How much does it cost to talk with you?
You pay no attorney fee unless we recover money for you. Request a free case review and we will explain how costs are handled.
Free case review
Talk With Us After Your Tempe Bike or Scooter Crash
Call (602) 584-8054 or request your free case review. Our experienced and friendly attorney will explain your legal rights and what to do next. The earlier you call, the better, but it's never too late to find out your legal rights.
Call any time. Office visits Monday to Friday, 9 to 5.
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