If you ride a bicycle in Arizona, you need to know about the three-foot passing law. This state statute gives cyclists specific protection on the road, but many drivers either don't know about it or choose to ignore it. When motorists pass too close, the results can be devastating.

What Arizona's Three-Foot Law Actually Says

Arizona Revised Statutes § 28-735 requires drivers to maintain at least three feet of distance when overtaking and passing a bicycle. The law applies to all public roads throughout the state, including Phoenix metro streets, county highways, and rural routes.

The statute doesn't leave much room for interpretation. Three feet means three feet. That's roughly the width of a standard doorway or the length of a yardstick. If a driver can't safely provide three feet of clearance, they're supposed to slow down and wait until they can pass safely. Honking, squeezing by, or forcing a cyclist off the road aren't legal alternatives.

Why This Law Matters For Cyclist Safety

Close passes terrify cyclists for good reason. When a vehicle whips past with just inches to spare, the force of the air displacement alone can knock a rider off balance. Add in mirrors, truck beds, or trailers, and the danger multiplies.

The three-foot buffer zone gives cyclists breathing room to:

  • Avoid road hazards like potholes or debris
  • Maintain balance in windy conditions
  • React to sudden obstacles
  • Stay upright if they wobble slightly

We've seen too many cases at Wyatt Injury Law Personal Injury Attorneys where close passes turned into serious collisions. A sideswipe at 40 mph can cause catastrophic injuries, including broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and spinal damage.

What Happens When Drivers Violate The Law

Breaking Arizona's three-foot passing law is a class 3 misdemeanour. Penalties can include fines and points on a driver's license. But the legal consequences go beyond traffic citations. When a driver violates this statute and hits a cyclist, that violation becomes strong evidence of negligence in a personal injury claim. Insurance companies can't easily dismiss a collision when their policyholder broke a specific safety law designed to protect vulnerable road users. The violation establishes that the driver failed to meet their legal duty of care.

Common Excuses That Don't Hold Up

We hear the same justifications over and over when drivers try to explain why they passed too close:

"I didn't see the cyclist until the last second." Arizona law requires drivers to maintain awareness of their surroundings. Not seeing a cyclist doesn't excuse passing unsafely.

"The bike lane was narrow." Drivers must wait for safe passing opportunities, even if that means slowing down temporarily.

"The cyclist was going too slow." Speed doesn't change the three-foot requirement. Cyclists have every right to use public roads.

"There was traffic in the other lane." If you can't move over safely, you can't legally pass until conditions change.

How This Law Affects Injury Claims

When you're hurt in a bicycle accident, proving fault matters enormously. The three-foot law gives injured cyclists a clear standard to point to. A Phoenix bicycle accident injury lawyer can help gather this evidence and build a compelling case that the driver's illegal passing caused your injuries. If a driver struck you while passing with less than three feet of clearance, they violated state law. That violation strengthens your case significantly, though you'll still need to document the circumstances of your crash. Evidence like witness statements, video footage, and accident reconstruction can show how close the vehicle came before impact. Physical damage to your bicycle and injuries on one side of your body often indicate a too-close pass.

If you've been hit by a vehicle that passed too close, understanding this law is just the first step. A Phoenix bicycle accident injury lawyer can explain how the violation affects your specific situation and help you pursue the compensation you're owed. Don't let insurance companies minimise your claim when a driver clearly broke the law meant to keep you safe.