Arizona recorded fewer traffic crashes and fatalities in 2025, according to newly released data from the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). While the decline is encouraging, Arizona still saw 118,052 reported crashes and 1,156 traffic fatalities during the year. ADOT also reported that these numbers remain near historic highs.
For Arizona drivers, the numbers are a reminder that serious crashes continue to happen every day. For someone who has already been injured in a collision, however, statewide statistics are only part of the story.
What matters most after an Arizona car accident is understanding what happened in your particular crash, what evidence exists, and how the accident affected you.
What The Latest Arizona Crash Data Shows
ADOT reported a 4.4% decrease in total crashes from 2024 to 2025 and a 5.2% decrease in traffic fatalities. The agency compiles its statewide crash information from reports provided by law enforcement agencies throughout Arizona.
ADOT identified driver behavior, including speeding, impairment, and failure to use safety devices, among the leading factors associated with fatal crashes.
The important takeaway is not simply that these behaviors contribute to Arizona crashes. It is that the circumstances surrounding an individual collision need to be investigated and documented.
A statewide statistic cannot tell you who was responsible for your accident. Evidence from your crash can.
Why The Cause Of Your Accident Matters
After a serious collision, there may be several questions about what caused the accident.
Was another driver speeding?
Were they distracted?
Did they fail to yield?
Were they driving under the influence?
Did they run a red light or stop sign?
Did another vehicle make an unsafe lane change?
The answers can affect how an injury claim is evaluated.
For example, ADOT reported that speeding was associated with crashes resulting in 367 fatalities and 19,831 injuries in 2025. Alcohol impairment was associated with 334 fatalities.
Those statewide figures do not establish liability in your accident. Instead, they provide context for why identifying the cause of a specific collision can be important.
If another driver’s conduct contributed to your injuries, evidence of that conduct may become relevant to your claim.
Evidence Can Be Important After An Arizona Car Accident
It is not always immediately obvious what caused a collision.
Drivers may remember an accident differently. A witness may have seen something the drivers did not. A traffic camera or nearby business may have captured the collision. A vehicle may contain information that helps establish what happened.
Depending on the circumstances, evidence may include:
- The police report
- Photographs of the accident scene
- Photographs of vehicle damage
- Dashcam footage
- Surveillance video
- Witness statements
- Traffic-camera footage
- Vehicle data
- Medical records
- Accident reconstruction evidence
This is one reason documenting an accident as soon as possible can be important.
Some evidence may become more difficult to obtain as time passes. Surveillance footage, for example, may only be retained for a limited period. Witnesses may also become harder to locate or may remember fewer details over time.
Your Injuries Matter, Too
The cause of the crash is only one part of a personal injury claim.
An accident that appears relatively minor from the outside can still cause significant injuries. Some symptoms may also take time to develop.
If you were injured, medical documentation can help establish the nature of your injuries and the treatment you received.
Depending on the circumstances, an injury claim may involve losses such as:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical care
- Lost income
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Other accident-related losses
Keeping records of medical treatment, bills, missed work, and other expenses can help document the impact of the accident.
Arizona Uses Comparative Negligence
Arizona law also recognizes comparative negligence.
Under A.R.S. § 12-2505, if a claimant’s own fault was a proximate cause of an injury or death, damages can be reduced in proportion to the claimant’s relative degree of fault.
Arizona law also provides for apportionment of fault among defendants and, in certain circumstances, nonparties. A.R.S. § 12-2506 generally provides that each defendant is responsible for the portion of damages corresponding to that defendant’s percentage of fault.
This means determining what happened in a collision can be important even when the basic circumstances of the accident seem straightforward.
For example, if the other driver clearly caused a crash but there is a dispute about whether another person’s conduct contributed to the accident or injuries, the evidence may become particularly important.
What To Do After An Arizona Car Accident
If you are involved in a crash, there are practical steps you can take to protect your health and preserve important information.
Seek Medical Attention
If you are injured or develop symptoms after a collision, seek appropriate medical attention. Follow your medical provider’s recommendations and keep records related to your treatment.
Report The Accident
Contact law enforcement when appropriate and obtain information about the responding agency and accident report.
Document The Scene
If you are physically able, photograph the vehicles, property damage, roadway, traffic signals, visible injuries, and surrounding area.
Collect Witness Information
If anyone witnessed the collision, obtain their contact information when possible.
Preserve Video
If a dashcam, traffic camera, security camera, or nearby business may have captured the collision, identify the potential source as soon as possible.
Keep Your Records
Save medical records, bills, repair estimates, insurance correspondence, photographs, and documentation of missed work or other accident-related losses.
Be Careful About Discussing Fault
After an accident, you may be asked questions about what happened. Avoid guessing about details you do not know or making statements about fault before the circumstances of the collision have been fully evaluated.
When Should You Talk To A Personal Injury Attorney?
Not every minor traffic accident requires an attorney. However, legal guidance may be useful when an accident involves significant injuries, disputed fault, substantial medical treatment, lost income, multiple potentially responsible parties, or questions about insurance coverage.
An attorney can review the available evidence and explain how Arizona law may apply to the circumstances of your accident.
The sooner important evidence is identified and preserved, the more information may be available when evaluating the claim.
The ADOT Numbers Tell Only Part Of The Story
Arizona’s traffic numbers improved in 2025, but more than 118,000 crashes still occurred across the state.
For someone who has been injured, the more important question is not how many crashes occurred statewide. It is what caused your crash and how did it affect you?
The ADOT data provides useful context about traffic safety in Arizona. It also reinforces the importance of paying attention to the circumstances surrounding each individual collision.
If another person’s negligence caused your Arizona car accident, you may have options for seeking compensation for your injuries and other losses.
Fielding Law represents injured clients in Arizona and California. Our team can review the circumstances of your accident and explain your legal options.
Free, 24/7 consultations are available with no obligation. Call Fielding Law at 833.88.SHARK.
Fielding Law, APC – Irvine, CA Office
505 Technology Dr Ste 250
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 288-5484
Fielding Law, APC – Phoenix, AZ Office
2 N Central Ave Ste 1800
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(859) 578-4444
Note: Information provided is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult with a qualified attorney for legal concerns.
