Author: ArizonaBikeLaw

Search Traffic Crash Data

Search FARS

FARS is the federal database of all police-reported fatal traffic incidents in the United States. It is intended to be complete accounting; it has come to my attention there are some known missing incidents.

This tool allows anyone to easily search the FARS database by exact date for the years from the most recent available (currently 2017) back to 2010. It also allows to filter by whether or not a pedestrian,  bicyclist, motorcyclist, or anybody was involved. Continue reading “Search Traffic Crash Data”

Glendale bicyclist struck by hit-and-run driver has died

Hit and Run Suspect

Hit and run crash occurred 3/29/2018 ~ 9pm. The bicyclist died of his injuries 4/30.

“Cleon Baker was riding his bike east on Camelback Road near 48th Avenue the night of March 29. Just before 9 p.m., a van – a white Ford Econline with its headlights off, police say — hit him.”

Police are still seeking the driver of a white Ford Econoline van; they believe the driver was caught on surveillance video, described as a Hispanic male, 25-35 years old with a shaved head, mustache, and a thin build.  Continue reading “Glendale bicyclist struck by hit-and-run driver has died”

Driver carries body several blocks before fleeing

suspect Ronald Hays turned himself in to police a couple of days after the fatal hit-and-run

Sun April 29, 2018 ~ 10:30pm. Van Buren, near 27th Avenue, Phoenix. Fatal hit-and-run victim Isela Ortega.

Horrific witness video shows a hit-and-run driver carrying the body of victim on top of car for several blocks. and then driving away after it fell off. The victim’s family is hoping someone can identify the driver, and/or encourages the driver to come forward. 12news.com Continue reading “Driver carries body several blocks before fleeing”

Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride

Thanks to Holman Jenkins for reminding us, from time to time (here’s one from 2008!), there is still, over 50 years later, a “chicken tax” which places a 25% tariff on imported “trucks”; this helps to distort the automobile market. In his column 3/31/2018 Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride, he pithily summarizes the on-going situation: Continue reading “Your Pickup Truck Takes You for a Ride”

Uber involved pedestrian fatality

Preface: This crash has nothing to do with bicycling other than the pedestrian was pushing a bicycle at the time. Because of the notoriety, the incident has its own wiki article.

3/18/2018 night-time (10pm?)  mid-block pedestrian fatality might not even be reported in the news; but this being the first reported AV (Autonomous Vehicle) traffic fatality (in the world?!), it’s huge news. Continue reading “Uber involved pedestrian fatality”

Ebike bill rides again

In 2018, Arizona passed e-bike legislation, adopting the model legislation promoted by the industry. Quick reference, as enacted:

 

[Update — It’s all passed and signed as of 5/16/2018… see below ]
Late in this legislative season (53 2nd regular), an ebike bill has once again surfaced from Rep Worsley; this time as a “striker” in the former dark sky lighting special plates bill HB2266.

The bill is suddenly, as is always the case I guess with strikers, being heard, scheduled for 3/20/2018 in the senate where it passed unanimously… Continue reading “Ebike bill rides again”

woman killed at Tempe bus stop by out-of-control driver

3/12/2018 ~11:30am near Baseline and Priest, Tempe; 52 yo Penny L. Brown was killed by a driver who for unstated reasons lost control in a Circle K parking lot and wiped her out on the sidewalk near a bus stop…

According to police, as officers arrived at the scene, they learned that a male driver had lost control of his vehicle and struck Brown, who was standing near the bus stop on the south side of Baseline. abc15

Continue reading “woman killed at Tempe bus stop by out-of-control driver”

Man murdered in Scottsdale

security cam footage of assailant escaping

2/22/2018,  N Scottsdale Road, near McDowell. Why this took over three weeks to make the news is very weird!? The assailant escaped after jumping into a black 1995 to 1996 black Nissan 200SX, with a 2nd suspect already in the vehicle. Police have so far not located the suspect or vehicle.

This will be a non-traffic statistic (because not a collision with a “motor vehicle in transport”)

Continue reading “Man murdered in Scottsdale”

Phoenix’s Sawcut ordinance

Sawcut in asphalt creates maintenance problems; especially within a bike lane. In this example, the cut was created when City of Tempe upgraded curbs for ADA purposes (Spring 2018, Warner Road and Dorsey.

Cutting into a road surface creates maintenance problems. Since the city is ultimately responsible for it, there are a set of rules, permits, and fees imposed on whomever might be doing the digging, typically an adjoining property owner (for, for example a new driveway) or utility companies, or the city itself (see example photo at right).

The aftermath of any cutting or digging in a road is particularly problematical for bicyclists when it results in longitudinal gashes/gaps/cracks… and is particularly problematical when the crack is within a Bike Lane because it can reduce the usable width to the point where traveling within the BL becomes impossible to do safely; and furthermore these dangerous conditions are unlikely to be appreciated or even noticed by motorists. Continue reading “Phoenix’s Sawcut ordinance”

Massive crash on Phx local street leaves driver dead

mid-day (~2pm) Thursday March 1, 2018.

A driver veered for unknown reasons causing a massive collision leaving that driver dead, and sending several to the hospital. This is on a “local” street, Roeser Rd east of 32nd St, adjacent to a nice park. “Officers are investigating whether speed or impairment were a factor in the crash” abc15 Continue reading “Massive crash on Phx local street leaves driver dead”

Driver kills man at Safeway

source: 3TV / CBS5

2/28/2018 ~3PM
Man dies after being hit by SUV outside Scottsdale Safeway
“The victim has been identified as 81-year-old Michael Ebertin… Police said a 70-year-old woman was behind the wheel of an SUV with another woman when she, for some reason, drove up on the sidewalk to the front of the store and hit the two men.
She stopped just short of the store.”

Continue reading “Driver kills man at Safeway”

Road Rage, late-night bar-hopping, and guns

Incident Feb 4, 2018 left an off-duty Tempe fire captain Kyle Brayer dead.

The defendant, Hezron Parks, has plead not guilty to a variety of charges: 3X aggravated assault, 7X endangerment, and leaving the scene, and some others.  Murder charges, if any, have yet to be brought —  “The defendant stated that he felt threatened and justified in grabbing his unholstered handgun” Continue reading “Road Rage, late-night bar-hopping, and guns”

River Road Fatal Crash

After striking the bicyclist, the truck spun and came to a stop facing the opposite way it had been driving. (Source: KOLD News 13)

1/31/2018 ~ 10am Victim male. Not much detail released.

Location: River Road eastbound lanes somewhere near N Shannon Rd, Pima County

The location wasn’t released, but River Road appears to be a divided arterial road with two lanes in each direction plus wide bike lanes; in addition to dedicated turn pockets.

KOLD13, UPDATE: Sheriff: Cyclist struck on River Road dies

Continue reading “River Road Fatal Crash”

lane-splitting is lane-sharing

[UPDATE: Arizona law was modified in 2022 to allow “limited” lane-sharing for motorcyclists, see comment] This is still in quite rough form. Bear with me as I elaborate. The premise is (motorcycle) lane-splitting is related to (bicycle) lane sharing. Lane-splitting is also sometimes referred to as “filtering”.

Lane splitting Legal Misconception

Note that the motorcyclist is NOT driving on the lane line

I was under the impression, what I believe now to be a common misconception, that motorcycle lane-splitting refers to a motorcyclists splitting between two lanes; in other words riding on the dashed line.

There are two related traffic rules, the first is general and applies to all persons driving any vehicle: motorcyclists, motorists driving cars/trucks, and incidentally also to bicyclists. This general rule implicitly makes lane-splitting by riding on the dashed line illegal. Continue reading “lane-splitting is lane-sharing”