If you are hit by an Uber or Lyft driver in Arizona, that driver has the same legal duties as any other driver, plus one extra: while logged in to the app, the driver must carry proof of insurance and hand it to the other parties at the scene. A rideshare driver who leaves, refuses to identify themselves, or ignores an injured person may be committing a crime under Arizona law.
The duty to stop
Under A.R.S. § 28-661, the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident that injures or kills someone must immediately stop at the scene, or as close to it as possible, and stay until the information and assistance duties are met. Leaving is a felony. The statute sets the class by outcome: a driver who fails to stop after an accident involving death or serious physical injury faces a class 2 felony if the driver caused the accident and a class 3 felony if not, and a failure to stop after an accident causing other injuries is a class 5 felony.
When the crash only damages property, A.R.S. § 28-662 imposes a similar duty to stop and remain at the scene. Failing to comply is a class 1 misdemeanor.
The duty to share information and help
A.R.S. § 28-663 applies after any accident involving injury, death or vehicle damage. The driver must:
- Give their name and address and the registration number of the vehicle.
- Show their driver license on request to the person struck, or to the driver or occupants of the vehicle they hit.
- Render reasonable assistance to anyone injured, including arranging transport to a physician or hospital if treatment is apparently necessary or the injured person asks for it.
Failing to give the name, address or license information is a class 1 misdemeanor. Failing to render assistance is a class 6 felony.
The rideshare-specific rule: proof of insurance
A.R.S. § 28-4038 adds a requirement for transportation network company (TNC) drivers. While logged in to the app or providing rides, the driver must carry proof of insurance in the vehicle. If an accident occurs, the driver must provide that proof to the parties involved at the time of the accident.
That matters because which coverage applies depends on what the app was doing at the moment of the crash. For how the tiers differ, see Arizona's Three Tiers of Rideshare Insurance. The same statute requires the rideshare company and any insurer involved to cooperate in a coverage investigation and exchange log-on and log-off times from the prior 24 hours, which we cover in Why Login Times Matter.
Practical takeaways
If you can do so safely, ask for the driver's name, vehicle registration and proof of insurance, and note whether the rideshare app was on. Write down the plate number. Photograph the scene and any documents the driver shows you. If the driver leaves, report it to police right away and note the time, direction and any details you recall.
Being able to point to these statutory duties does not replace a coverage investigation. Which policy pays, and how much, is a separate question that turns on the app status and the facts of the crash.
This is general information about Arizona law, not legal advice. Statutory text controls; consult a licensed Arizona attorney about your specific situation.
Sources: A.R.S. §§ 28-661, 28-662, 28-663 and 28-4038, Arizona Legislature (azleg.gov).