If you ride a motorcycle in Arizona, you already know that freedom comes with real risk — and the numbers prove it. Every year, thousands of crashes leave riders seriously hurt or worse. So what’s really happening on Arizona’s roads, and why are motorcyclists still some of the most vulnerable drivers out there?
What The Latest Crash Report Told Us About Arizona’s Motorcycle Crash Crisis
Zoom in on 2023, and Arizona’s motorcycle crash data tells a troubling story. According to the latest 2023 state crash report by ADOT, there were 3,165 motorcycle crashes across Arizona. These collisions led to 258 rider deaths and 2,571 injuries, marking one of the deadliest years for bikers in recent memory. That averages out to nearly 9 motorcycle crashes a day in Arizona in 2023 — with at least 1 crash every 3 days ending in death.
A Four-Year Motorcycle Accident Climb
In 2023, Arizona saw 3,165 motorcycle crashes — up from 2,911 in 2022, 2,594 in 2021, and 2,317 in 2020. That’s an 8.7% rise from the year before and a staggering 36.6% increase since 2020. The upward trend isn’t just in the number of crashes — it’s in fatalities too.
A Small Share of Crashes, a Disproportionate Share of Deaths
Though motorcycle crashes made up just 2.59% of total crashes in the state, they accounted for over 21% of all traffic fatalities. And despite a slight drop in registered motorcycles — down from 290,103 in 2022 to 279,569 in 2023 — fatalities jumped by 11.2%. Even more alarming is the rise in fatality rate per registered motorcycle: from 0.800 in 2022 to 0.923 in 2023 — a 15.4% increase in just one year. From packed Phoenix intersections to rural highways with limited shoulder space, these crashes happened everywhere — and riders bore the brunt of it.
Where Motorcycle Crashes Happened Most: A County Breakdown
In 2023, Maricopa County, with Phoenix on the top, once again led the state in motorcycle crashes — and not in a good way. With 2,019 total crashes, it accounted for nearly 64% of all motorcycle crashes in Arizona. That’s an average of more than 5 motorcycle crashes every single day in Maricopa alone. Of those, 156 were fatal, and 1,600 people were injured, making it by far the most dangerous county for motorcyclists.
Pima County followed with 294 total crashes, including 37 fatalities and 243 injuries. Combined, Maricopa and Pima Counties — with trauma fatality rates of 31 and 30 per 100,000 residents, respectively — were responsible for 74.4% of all motorcycle-related deaths across the state. It’s a staggering share that reflects the high population, dense traffic, and heavily traveled road networks in these regions.
Other counties with notable crash numbers include Mohave (157 crashes), Yavapai (162 crashes), and Pinal (186 crashes) — though their fatality counts remained significantly lower than those in Maricopa and Pima. Still, rural counties like La Paz and Graham, with trauma fatality rates of 83 and 54 per 100,000 residents, faced deadly outcomes despite fewer crashes overall. Limited emergency response resources and longer transport times often make rural crashes more fatal.
The message is clear: Arizona’s motorcycle crash crisis isn’t just a statewide issue — it’s concentrated where traffic is heaviest.
Where Did Most Motorcycle Crashes Happen?
Most motorcycle crashes in Arizona didn’t happen on winding mountain roads or rural highways — they happened right in the city. In 2023, 2,490 of the state’s 3,165 motorcycle crashes occurred in urban areas, making up nearly 79% of the total. These crashes led to 1,883 injury collisions and 181 rider deaths. That means over 70% of all fatal motorcycle crashes took place in cities, where dense traffic, distracted drivers, and quick lane shifts put riders at constant risk.
But rural roads carried their own danger. Though only 21% of motorcycle crashes happened in rural areas (675 total), they accounted for nearly 30% of motorcyclist deaths — 77 fatalities in 2023 alone. Riders in rural areas also made up over 23% of total motorcycle-related injuries. With longer EMS response times and higher average speeds, rural crashes often have more severe outcomes. Whether you’re riding through downtown Phoenix or a desert stretch near Kingman, the danger is very real — just in different forms. So, let’s look at how motorcycle accidents usually happen in Arizona.
How Motorcycle Accidents Happen in 2023 in Arizona
Not all crashes look the same, but most follow a pattern — and for motorcyclists in Arizona, that pattern often starts with another vehicle.
In 2023, the most common type of crash involved a collision with a motor vehicle in transport, which made up 62.6% of all motorcycle crashes (1,980 out of 3,165). These were also the deadliest, resulting in 154 rider deaths — 60.4% of all motorcycle fatalities — and more than 1,400 injuries.
Another 474 crashes — or 15% — were caused by motorcycles overturning, often during emergency braking, sudden turns, or loss of control at high speed. Collisions with fixed objects, such as poles, curbs, or guardrails, accounted for 327 crashes, or just over 10.3%, and led to 27 deaths.
Looking more closely at the manner of those multi-vehicle collisions, left-turn crashes were the most deadly, accounting for just over 25% of all crashes but 40% of all motorcycle fatalities. In many of these cases, a vehicle turned left into the path of an oncoming motorcycle — one of the most dangerous and common fatal crash types. Rear-end crashes were also high on the list, with 600 total incidents and 35 rider deaths. Other serious collision types included angle crashes (17%) and sideswipes, both from the same and opposite directions, often occurring in traffic merges or lane-splitting scenarios.
What Causes Motorcycle Accidents
When you dig into the causes of motorcycle crashes, it becomes clear that not every rider was taking risks. 45% of all motorcycle crashes involved riders who committed no improper action. That means they were obeying traffic laws, riding responsibly, and still ended up in a crash — usually because of another driver’s mistake or unpredictable road conditions. But when violations did occur, here’s where things went wrong:
- Speeding – 22%
Speed — whether it was over the limit or too fast for traffic or weather — played a role in 716 crashes. It also accounted for over 28% of all motorcycle fatalities. Higher speeds reduce reaction time and increase impact force, often turning a survivable crash into a fatal one. - Unsafe Lane Changes – 2.4%
When riders or nearby drivers changed lanes without checking properly, 77 crashes occurred — 9 of them deadly. These are often sudden and give little room for riders to react. - Failure to Keep in Proper Lane – 4.9%
Drifting, swerving, or veering out of the lane led to 158 crashes in 2023, including 14 fatal ones. - Failure to Yield Right-of-Way – 2.3%
Especially common at intersections or while turning left, failure to yield caused 76 crashes and 6 deaths. - Tailgating – 2.5%
Following too closely behind another vehicle caused 82 crashes. On a motorcycle, even a quick tap on the brakes can cause a serious loss of control. - Impairment – 6%
Alcohol was involved in 186 crashes, including 52 fatalities. That’s just 6% of all crashes, but over 20% of fatal ones. Marijuana, illegal drugs, and fatigue were also noted, but far less frequently.
Third-party impacts, such as lighting conditions, also played a role. Most crashes — about 66% — happened in broad daylight. However, nighttime still proved dangerous: nearly 700 crashes occurred under dark but lighted conditions, and over 200 more happened on unlit roads, where visibility drops dramatically. As for road surface, nearly 95% of crashes happened on dry pavement — meaning weather wasn’t the issue. Instead, the danger often came from speed, visibility, and how other drivers reacted around motorcycles in everyday traffic.
It’s important to understand that while some riders make dangerous decisions, a large portion of crashes still happen to those doing everything right. Motorcyclists remain some of the most exposed and vulnerable users on Arizona roads — and too often, they pay the price for someone else’s mistake.
When Do Most Motorcycle Crashes Happen on Day and Week?
Motorcycle crashes in Arizona didn’t just happen randomly — they followed clear patterns across the week. In 2023, Fridays and Saturdays were the most dangerous days, with each seeing 619 total crashes. Sundays weren’t far behind, with 416 crashes. These weekend and late-week spikes suggest that recreational riding, nightlife traffic, and higher weekend travel all play a role in increasing risk.
On the other hand, Tuesdays saw the fewest motorcycle crashes, with just 384 incidents, followed closely by Mondays at 339. That dip early in the week could reflect reduced traffic volumes or fewer riders on the road. But even then, the risk doesn’t disappear — especially during afternoon and evening hours.
Looking at the most dangerous times of day, 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM stood out across all days, with a peak of 255 crashes at 4:00 PM — the highest of any hour. These crashes likely tie into rush-hour congestion, aggressive driving, and tired commuters trying to get home. On weekends, the danger shifts slightly later, with higher crash rates between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, when visibility starts to drop and nightlife picks up.
So whether you’re commuting or cruising, timing matters. Afternoon and early evening hours — especially on Fridays and weekends — are when motorcycle riders face the most risk on Arizona roads. Be cautious when riding at these times.
Who’s Most at Risk in Motorcycle Crashes?
Another aspect that motorcycle crash data from 2023 reveals is that young and middle-aged adults were most often involved in serious motorcycle crashes — and they also faced the highest fatality risks.
- Riders aged 25 to 34 were at the top of both lists: they made up 17.4% of all crashes, the highest of any age group, and accounted for 24% of motorcycle fatalities. A total of 63 riders in this group were killed, and 628 were injured, making it the single most vulnerable demographic on the road.
- The 35 to 44 age group followed closely behind with 15.9% of crash involvement and 21% of fatalities — including 55 deaths. Riders aged 45 to 54 were also heavily impacted, making up 13.1% of crashes and 14.8% of deaths.
- Teen and young adult riders, while not as heavily represented overall, still showed concerning numbers. Riders aged 15 to 24 were involved in over 16% of total crashes and made up nearly 13% of the state’s motorcycle deaths — despite being a smaller share of licensed motorcyclists. Riders aged 19 had especially high crash involvement, with 123 incidents in 2023.
- At the other end of the spectrum, older riders aged 65 and up also face serious risks. Riders 65 to 74 were involved in 6.8% of crashes and accounted for 6.1% of deaths, while those 75 and older made up 1.3% of crashes and 6.2% of all fatalities. This points to increased vulnerability as age increases — even if the total number of crashes isn’t as high.
Across all age groups, the overwhelming majority of those killed or injured were male — 94% of fatalities and over 87% of injuries. Whether due to riding frequency, exposure, or riskier riding behaviors, men continue to make up the largest share of motorcycle crash victims in Arizona.
Helmet Use: A Life-Saving Choice Too Often Ignored
Lastly, helmet use remains one of the most critical factors in reducing the severity of motorcycle crash injuries — and the 2023 data makes that clear.
Of the 2,416 motorcycle-related trauma cases reported in Arizona, only 63.9% of riders were wearing helmets at the time of the crash. Those who wore helmets were half as likely to suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) — just 10% experienced TBI, compared to 21% of unhelmeted riders.
Younger riders led in helmet use: 83% of those aged 15–17 and 82% of those 18–24 wore helmets, but usage dropped steeply with age — falling to just 49% among riders 85 and older.
That drop in usage has consequences. Among motorcycle operators, only 8% of fatal injuries occurred in riders wearing helmets, while 11.97% of fatalities were among those not wearing one. Similar patterns appear in injury severity: riders without helmets were more likely to suffer serious or fatal injuries than those with protection. For both riders and passengers, the message is simple: a helmet won’t prevent every crash, but it often means the difference between walking away and a life-altering injury — or worse.
Final Thoughts: Arizona Riders Deserve Better Roads — and Strong Legal Support
Arizona’s motorcycle crash numbers in 2023 were more than just statistics — they were real lives forever changed. From urban collisions to rural fatalities, riders faced serious risks no matter where or when they rode. While many crashes were caused by other drivers’ negligence, the impact fell hardest on motorcyclists.
If you or someone you love has been injured in a motorcycle crash, you don’t have to face the aftermath alone. Our experienced motorcycle accident lawyers are here to protect your rights, handle the insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve. We’ll take care of the legal battle so you can focus on healing.
The consultation is free — and you don’t pay unless we win. Reach out today.