Uber and Lyft accidents in Tempe are a growing problem — one that Tempe accident injury lawyers deal with regularly. With Arizona State University drawing tens of thousands of students, staff, and visitors, and with Mill Avenue, Tempe Town Lake, and the light rail corridor generating constant foot and vehicle traffic, rideshare drivers are everywhere in Tempe — and so are the crashes they cause.
Tempe was also the site of the first fatal self-driving vehicle accident in the United States in 2018, when an Uber autonomous test vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian on North Mill Avenue. That tragedy put a national spotlight on the risks of rideshare vehicles in Tempe specifically. Since then, rideshare-related crashes in Tempe have continued at a steady pace, driven by distracted drivers watching their apps, unfamiliar roads, and the pressure to accept rides quickly.
If you were injured in a rideshare accident in Tempe — whether as a passenger, a pedestrian, or another driver — the insurance situation is more complicated than a standard car accident. Here’s what you need to know.
Injured in a rideshare accident in Tempe? Call (602) 222-2222 for a free consultation. Our Tempe office is at 2033 E Warner Rd, Unit 105.
The biggest source of confusion after a rideshare crash is figuring out which insurance policy applies. Both Uber and Lyft use a tiered coverage system based on the driver’s status at the time of the crash:
| Driver Status | Coverage Available |
|---|---|
| App off — personal driving | Driver’s personal auto insurance only |
| App on, waiting for a ride request | $50,000 per person / $100,000 per accident / $25,000 property damage (contingent coverage) |
| Ride accepted, en route to pickup | $1 million liability coverage from Uber/Lyft |
| Passenger in vehicle | $1 million liability coverage + uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage |
The problem is that rideshare companies and their insurers don’t always make it easy to determine which tier applies — or to access the full coverage you’re entitled to. Drivers sometimes claim their app was off when it wasn’t. Insurers dispute the status. And the company’s adjusters are experienced at minimizing payouts.
Certain parts of Tempe see a disproportionate share of rideshare-related crashes due to high pickup and drop-off activity:
The steps you take immediately after a rideshare crash can make or break your claim:
For more on Arizona’s rideshare regulations, see the Arizona Transportation Network Company statutes at A.R.S. § 28-9551. The NHTSA distracted driving resources also provide useful context on why rideshare drivers are at elevated crash risk.
Rideshare accident in Tempe? The insurance maze is real — we know the way through.
Our team handles Uber and Lyft claims throughout the Valley. Free consultation, no fees unless we win.
Injured in a Tempe rideshare accident? We handle the complexity.
We have a Tempe office and handle Uber and Lyft accident claims throughout Maricopa County. No fees unless we win.
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