Tempe Car Crash Attorney

Hurt in a car crash on Rural Road, University Drive, Broadway Road or the I-10? Between doctor visits, missed shifts and a car in the shop, it can feel like too much. Kent Law can take the fight to the insurance company while you heal. We focus on personal injury, and most of our cases are car crashes. Our Phoenix office in Ahwatukee is about 12 miles from Tempe City Hall. Call (480) 359-KENT today. No fee unless we win.

Car crashes in Tempe by the numbers

In 2024, Tempe had 6,637 crashes. 29 were fatal crashes and 2,049 were injury crashes. 32 people were killed and 3,007 were injured, and 295 crashes were alcohol-related (ADOT, 2024 Arizona Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, Table 2-5, p. 13). See how Tempe compares with other Valley cities in our Phoenix-area crash statistics.

The City of Tempe also publishes its own crash records, the data behind its Vision Zero safety work. The city counts crashes differently than ADOT, so its numbers are lower. In 2025, the city's data shows 3,261 crashes in Tempe. 1,496 people were hurt and 10 were killed. From 2021 through 2025, it shows 18,335 crashes, 8,948 people hurt and 86 killed (City of Tempe open data, crash records complete through December 31, 2025).

Tempe traffic runs on busy arterials like Rural Road, McClintock Drive, Mill Avenue, University Drive, Broadway Road, Southern Avenue, Baseline Road and Apache Boulevard. I-10, the Loop 101, the Loop 202 and US 60 all cross or border the city. Freeway crashes are usually handled by Arizona DPS. Most of the crashes we handle happen on city streets and at intersections.

Where crashes happen in Tempe

We sorted the City of Tempe's crash records for 2021 through 2025 to see where people get hurt. These intersections had the most crashes at or near the intersection:

1. Broadway Road and Price Road: 209 crashes
2. McClintock Drive and University Drive: 137 crashes
3. Price Road and University Drive: 137 crashes
4. Broadway Road and Rural Road: 135 crashes
5. Rural Road and University Drive: 135 crashes
6. Broadway Road and McClintock Drive: 114 crashes

The worst crashes follow the same big streets. Of the 421 crashes that killed or seriously hurt someone, the most were on Rural Road (43), Broadway Road (37), McClintock Drive (33), Southern Avenue (32) and University Drive (30). Broadway and Rural had more of these crashes than any other intersection (9).

The reports also show what drivers did wrong. The violations listed most often were driving too fast for conditions (4,268 times), failing to yield (4,100), following too closely (1,761), unsafe lane changes (1,634) and running a signal (1,531).

People on foot pay the highest price. 550 crashes involved a pedestrian. 91 of them killed or seriously hurt someone, and 24 people were killed. Another 575 crashes involved a person on a bike.

If you were hurt at one of these spots, the other driver's insurance company may still argue about who had the light or who cut in. Traffic cameras, business video and witnesses can settle that, but video doesn't last. Call us early so we can look for it.

What to do after a car accident in Tempe

1. Call 911. Report the crash and any injuries. If you can move safely, get out of traffic.
2. Get medical care the same day. Some injuries, like whiplash and concussions, show up hours later. A same-day visit also links your injuries to the crash.
3. Take photos. Get both cars, the plates, the damage, the signals, the lane markings and your injuries.
4. Get the other driver's information. Name, phone number, license, plate, insurance company and policy number. A photo of their insurance card works.
5. Talk to witnesses. Get names and phone numbers. Around ASU and downtown Tempe, witnesses are often students or visitors who leave quickly.
6. Look for cameras. Businesses, apartment buildings and light rail and streetcar stops may have video. Write down where you see them and tell us. Footage doesn't last forever.
7. Get the report number. Tempe Police call it a "GO#." Arizona DPS usually handles freeway crashes.
8. Call us before any recorded statement. Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT before you talk to any insurance adjuster on the record.

Common car crashes in Tempe

Rear-end crashes

Rear-end crashes were the most common kind of crash in Tempe in 2025: 925 of the city's 3,261 crashes (City of Tempe crash data). Stop-and-go traffic on I-10 and the US 60, and long signal lines near campus, make them common. Following too closely was listed 1,761 times in Tempe crash reports from 2021 through 2025. See rear-end collisions.

Left-turn and angle crashes

In 2025, Tempe had 737 angle crashes, often called T-bone crashes, and 470 left-turn crashes (City of Tempe crash data). Failing to yield was one of the two violations listed most often in Tempe crash reports. Fault is often disputed. Signal timing, video and damage patterns help show who had the right of way.

Lane-change and sideswipe crashes

Tempe had 596 same-direction sideswipe crashes in 2025. Many happen when a driver changes lanes on Rural Road, McClintock Drive or the US 60 without looking. Unsafe lane changes were listed 1,634 times in Tempe crash reports from 2021 through 2025.

Crashes with people walking, biking or on scooters

Around ASU, Mill Avenue and downtown Tempe, many people hurt by drivers were never in a car. They were walking to class, riding a bike or scooter, or crossing near a light rail or streetcar stop. From 2021 through 2025, 550 Tempe crashes involved a pedestrian and 575 involved a person on a bike (City of Tempe crash data). See pedestrian accident claims and bicycle accident claims.

Drunk driving crashes

Tempe had 295 alcohol-related crashes in 2024 (ADOT, Table 2-5). Downtown Tempe and Mill Avenue are full of bars and restaurants. If a drunk driver hit you, see drunk driving accident claims.

Uber, Lyft, hit-and-run and uninsured drivers

About 10.6% of Arizona drivers were uninsured in 2023, according to the Insurance Research Council (via the Insurance Information Institute). If the driver who hit you had no insurance or drove away, your own uninsured or underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may pay for your injuries. See hit-and-run accidents, Uber and Lyft accidents and uninsured and underinsured motorist claims.

Arizona rules that affect your claim

Arizona generally requires most auto policies to carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per crash for injuries (A.R.S. § 28-4009), and a hospital stay can go far past that. We look for every policy that may cover you.

If you were partly at fault, you may still have a claim. Under Arizona's pure comparative fault law, your damages are generally reduced by your share of fault, not wiped out (A.R.S. § 12-2505). Read more about Arizona comparative fault.

Deadlines matter. In Arizona, most injury lawsuits must generally be filed within 2 years (A.R.S. § 12-542). Claims against the government move faster. If a public entity or public employee caused your crash, such as a city vehicle, you generally must file a notice of claim within 180 days (A.R.S. § 12-821.01). The lawsuit itself generally must be filed within 1 year (A.R.S. § 12-821). Call us early so we can protect your claim.

If you're in the hospital

The nearest state-designated Level I trauma centers to Tempe include Banner Desert Medical Center, at 1400 S. Dobson Road in Mesa, and Valleywise Health, at 2601 E. Roosevelt in Phoenix (Arizona Department of Health Services trauma center list). You don't have to leave your bed to talk to us. We can come to you at the hospital or at home, or talk by phone or video.

How we handle Tempe car accident cases

We move from day one. We get the crash report, look for video before it's erased, talk to witnesses, and hire crash reconstructionists and other outside professionals when a case needs them. We deal with the insurance company, so you don't have to take their calls.

Here's our track record. Kent Law recovers millions of dollars for injured clients every year, and we have handled thousands of injury cases. We handle negotiated settlements, mediation, arbitration and trial. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Getting your Tempe crash report

Tempe Police investigate crashes on Tempe city streets. Most reports from November 1, 2021 on are on BuyCrash. You need the report number (GO#), the crash date and a credit card. DUI and deadly crash reports are not on BuyCrash. For those, ask Tempe Police Records through the city's records page (choose "Police Records"), by email at PD_RecordsRequests@tempe.gov, or in person at 120 E. 5th Street, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Freeway crashes are usually handled by Arizona DPS, which takes requests through its Public Services Portal (psp.azdps.gov). Once you hire us, we request the report for you. Tempe injury lawsuits are usually filed in Maricopa County Superior Court.

Meeting with us

Our office is at 4001 E. Mountain Sky Ave., Ste. 105, Phoenix, AZ 85044, near I-10 and Chandler Boulevard, about 12 miles from Tempe City Hall. We usually meet at our office, but if you can't get here, we can come to you at the hospital or at home, or meet by phone or video.

For other injury cases, see our Tempe personal injury page. We also serve Chandler, Mesa, Scottsdale and all of Phoenix. See all the areas we serve.

Hurt in a Tempe car crash? Call Kent Law at (480) 359-KENT. No fee unless we win.

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