A collision with someone on a bicycle can be frightening, especially when you do not know how badly the rider is hurt or what happens next. Tucson has many roads where motorists and cyclists travel alongside each other, and Arizona law gives people riding bicycles many of the same rights and responsibilities that apply to other roadway users.
Hitting a bike rider does not automatically mean that you committed a crime. What a driver does immediately after a bicycle crash can matter almost as much as the circumstances that caused it.
What Should You Do Immediately After Hitting a Bike Rider?
Arizona law requires drivers involved in crashes resulting in injury or death to stop at the scene, or as close to it as possible, and remain there while fulfilling certain duties.
After a crash involving a bike rider, you should generally:
- Stop your vehicle: Do not leave the scene, even if you believe the collision was minor.
- Call for emergency assistance: Contact 911 when someone may be injured.
- Provide required information: Give the identifying and vehicle information required under Arizona law.
- Render reasonable assistance: This may include arranging transportation for medical treatment when it is necessary or requested.
- Avoid arguing about fault: Focus on safety and fulfilling your legal obligations rather than debating who caused the collision.
Leaving an injury crash without fulfilling your legal responsibilities can create a far more serious situation and may expose you to felony charges.
What Does Arizona Law Say About Cars and Bicycles?
Arizona law generally gives a person riding a bicycle on a roadway or adjoining shoulder the rights and duties that apply to drivers, subject to laws specifically governing bicycles.
Motorists also have responsibilities towards cyclists. Under A.R.S. § 28-735, a driver overtaking a bicycle traveling in the same direction must exercise due care and leave at least three feet between the vehicle and bicycle until safely past the cyclist.
A crash by itself does not establish that the motorist broke this law. The details leading up to the collision can be just as important as the point of impact.
Could You Face Criminal Charges After a Bicycle Crash?
Possibly. Criminal liability generally depends on the driver’s actions and the surrounding circumstances.
A criminal investigation may become more likely when police suspect:
- Driving under the influence
- Reckless driving
- Leaving the scene of the collision
- Excessive or unsafe speed
- Other conduct that endangered people on the road
For example, Arizona’s reckless driving law applies when someone operates a vehicle with reckless disregard for the safety of people or property. A serious bicycle crash could therefore lead to more than a traffic citation if investigators believe the driver’s conduct satisfies the requirements of a criminal offense.
What If the Bike Rider Was Partly Responsible?
Drivers are not automatically responsible for every crash involving a bicycle. Arizona law also imposes traffic responsibilities on cyclists.
Depending on the circumstances, investigators may consider whether the cyclist:
- Obeyed applicable traffic lights and signs
- Traveled in accordance with Arizona bicycle safety laws
- Made an unexpected turn or movement
- Used required bicycle equipment when applicable
- Otherwise contributed to how the collision occurred
Responsibility cannot always be determined from the fact that the cyclist was injured. Investigators may need to reconstruct the events immediately before the crash to understand what each person was doing.
Should You Speak With Police After the Crash?
Arizona law requires drivers to comply with certain obligations after a collision, including stopping and providing required information. Fulfilling those duties does not require you to speculate about facts you do not know.
If police questioning shifts toward whether you committed a crime, you often have the right to seek legal advice.
Contact the Tucson Criminal Defense Attorneys at Katsarelis Law Criminal Defense Attorneys for a Free Case Review Today
A bicycle crash can begin as an accident investigation and develop into something much more serious if law enforcement believes a crime may have occurred. Knowing when to seek legal advice can be particularly important when the cyclist has suffered significant injuries or if police are questioning a driver’s conduct.
Katsarelis Law Criminal Defense Attorneys represents people facing criminal investigations and charges in Tucson and throughout Arizona. If questions about criminal responsibility start following you home from the crash scene, speak with our Tucson criminal lawyers today.
For more information, contact the Tucson criminal defense attorneys at Katsarelis Law Criminal Defense Attorneys for a free consultation.
Katsarelis Law Criminal Defense Attorneys
177 N Church Ave # 900, Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 510-0439
