What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Arizona: Steps to Protect Your Claim

After a hit-and-run in Arizona, get to safety, call 911, and write down everything you remember about the other car and driver. Then get medical care the same day, get the police report number, and notify your own insurance company. This guide walks through what to do after a hit and run in Arizona, from the first few minutes to the deadlines that can end your claim. You can take these steps even if police never find the driver. If you need help, Kent Law offers a free case review.

The first 10 minutes after a hit-and-run

What you do right away protects your health and your claim.

1. Get safe. If you can move safely, get out of traffic. Turn on your hazard lights. Check yourself and your passengers for injuries.
2. Call 911. Report the crash and any injuries. Arizona law requires drivers in an injury crash to notify police immediately by the quickest means.
3. Don't chase the other driver. A chase can cause a second crash and put you in more danger. Let police look for the driver.
4. Write down what you saw. Do it now, while it's fresh. Note the plate number, even a partial plate. Note the make, model, and color. Note any damage, stickers, or anything unusual about the car. Note which direction the driver went and anything you saw about the driver.

The other driver had a legal duty to stay. In a crash that injures or kills someone, Arizona law requires drivers to stop, remain at the scene, give their name, address, and vehicle registration, show their license on request, and give reasonable help (A.R.S. §§ 28-661 and 28-663). Leaving is a crime. Drivers must also stop in crashes that damage an attended vehicle (A.R.S. § 28-662).

Hit-and-run crashes are not rare. In 2024, Arizona had 16,136 hit-and-run crashes, about 13.3% of all crashes. They killed 86 people and injured 4,202 (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 5-3, p. 28).

Evidence that can identify the driver

The evidence you save can help police find the driver. It also supports your insurance claim.

• Debris. Pieces of a bumper, mirror, headlight, or trim can point to the make and model. Photograph them where they lie and tell the officer.
• Paint transfer. The other car may leave paint on yours. Photograph it up close before you wash or repair your car.
• Cameras. Look for nearby businesses, gas stations, and homes with doorbell cameras. Write down each location. Footage can be recorded over, so the sooner someone asks for it, the better.
• Witnesses. Get names and phone numbers from anyone who saw the crash. A witness can matter a lot later, especially if the other car never touched yours.
• Dash cams. Save your own dash cam video right away. Ask drivers who stopped whether they had one running.
• Photos. Take pictures of your car, the road, traffic signals, and your injuries. Keep photographing your injuries in the days that follow.

Need help? Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT for a free case review. We'll talk through your next steps and the evidence to save. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video. No fee unless we win.

Get the police report and see a doctor the same day

The police report

Before you leave the scene, ask the officer for the report number and which agency is handling the crash. Write down the officer's name. You'll use the report number to request the report, and your insurance company may ask for it too.

If Phoenix police handled your crash, our guide on how to get a Phoenix police accident report walks you through getting a copy. If you remember more later, like a partial plate, tell the agency and give them your report number.

Medical care

See a doctor the same day, even if you feel okay. Go to the ER, an urgent care, or your own doctor. Tell them you were hurt in a crash. Some injuries are easy to miss in the first hours.

Medical records connect your injuries to the crash. Follow your treatment plan as closely as you can, and keep your bills and records. Insurers may point to gaps in care, but if you had to wait or miss appointments, that happens. Tell us, and we'll explain your options.

Notify your own insurance company

Tell your own insurance company about the crash promptly, even though you didn't cause it. Your policy may require prompt notice and your cooperation. Give the basics: the date, the location, and the police report number.

Before you give a recorded statement to any insurer, including your own, call Kent Law. Your own insurer is still an insurance company, and its adjusters work to keep payouts low. We work just as hard for you. Keep cooperating with your insurer as your policy requires. Just talk to us before any recorded statement.

Next, check whether you have uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Arizona insurers must offer UM and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage in writing, and drivers can decline it (A.R.S. § 20-259.01(A)–(B)). Look at your policy's declarations page, or call us and we'll go over it with you. If your insurer delays or pushes back, see how we handle insurance disputes.

If the driver is found, or never found

The criminal case and your injury claim are separate. The search for the driver and any criminal case move on their own track. You don't need to wait for police to find the driver to start your claim.

If police find the driver

Your claim may go to the driver's insurance company. But not every driver has insurance. The Insurance Research Council estimated 10.6% of Arizona drivers were uninsured in 2023 (via the Insurance Information Institute). If the driver has little or no insurance, your own coverage may matter. Our guide to uninsured motorist claims in Arizona explains more.

If the driver is never found

UM coverage may apply when the driver is never identified, under the terms of your policy. That's why checking your coverage early matters.

No-contact crashes

Some hit-and-run drivers never touch your car. They cut you off or run you off the road, then drive away. For UM claims in no-contact crashes, Arizona law requires corroboration, such as a witness or video (A.R.S. § 20-259.01(M)). This is one more reason to collect witness names and footage right away.

Steps to take after a hit-and-run in Tempe

The steps above apply in Tempe too. The main difference is which agency responds. Tempe Police generally handle crashes on Tempe city streets. Arizona DPS handles crashes on freeways. Either way, get the report number and write down which agency took the report.

Tempe sees a lot of crashes. In 2024, Tempe had 6,637 crashes, including 2,049 injury crashes, with 32 people killed and 3,007 injured (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 2-5, p. 13).

Kent Law serves Tempe from our Phoenix office in Ahwatukee. We don't have a Tempe office, and we usually meet Tempe clients there. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video. Learn more about our Tempe personal injury work.

Deadlines after a hit-and-run in Arizona

Deadlines can end a claim, no matter how strong it is. Know these:

• Most injury lawsuits: generally must be filed within 2 years (A.R.S. § 12-542).
• Claims against a government entity or employee: a notice of claim is generally required within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01), and the lawsuit must generally be filed within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821). For example, if the fleeing vehicle turns out to be a city truck driven by a city employee, these shorter deadlines can apply.
• Your insurance policy: your policy may set its own deadlines for giving notice or making a UM claim. Read it closely, or let us read it with you.

Evidence can disappear long before any legal deadline. Camera footage can be recorded over, and witnesses get harder to reach. Start early.

How Kent Law can help

A hit-and-run leaves you with injuries, bills, and an insurance company, sometimes your own, working to pay as little as possible. Kent Law works just as hard for you. We don't let them lowball you, and we fight for every penny of compensation you deserve. When a case needs it, we hire crash reconstruction experts and other expert witnesses. We recover millions of dollars for injured clients every year. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

We work from one office in Phoenix, in the Ahwatukee area. We usually meet at our office. If you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video. See how we handle these cases on our Phoenix hit-and-run accident lawyer page.

Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT for a free case review. No fee unless we win, and we explain the written fee agreement before you sign.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.

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Related: Phoenix hit-and-run accident lawyer

This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different.