Every driver in Arizona has seen it: the car drifting in its lane on Loop 202. Someone texting at a Mesa red light. The SUV on I-10 near Tucson that does not move when the signal turns green. Behind almost all of it is the same culprit: a cell phone.
Crashes involving distracted driving, particularly driving while texting, have become one of the most common and preventable causes of serious motor vehicle crashes in Arizona. This guide explains Arizona’s laws against distracted driving, the penalties a distracted driver can face, and the rights you have if someone else’s inattention left you hurt.
If a distracted driver injured you or someone you love, Rasmussen Injury Law offers a free case evaluation with no obligation. Call us today at (480) 637-5757.
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What Counts as Distracted Driving?
Distracted driving is anything that pulls your attention away from operating a vehicle safely. Safety experts break it into three types:
- Visual: taking your eyes off the road
- Manual: taking your hands off the wheel
- Cognitive: taking your mind off driving
Using a cell phone while driving is uniquely dangerous because it combines all three at once.
Texting is the behavior people worry about most, and for good reason. When a driver sends or reads a message, their attention is gone for several seconds at a time. The problem is not limited to texting, though. Scrolling social media, watching video, or fiddling with any electronic device while driving takes the same toll. Anytime a driver uses a handheld device while driving, everyone around them is at greater risk.
Distraction is broader than phones, however; everyday habits like eating, drinking a coffee, adjusting the radio, reaching for something in the back seat, or checking a navigation screen all qualify. Even something as routine as eating, drinking, or glancing at a map can be enough to cause a wreck.
Not sure whether the driver who hit you was distracted? Our team knows how to find out. Contact Rasmussen Injury Law for a free consultation: (480) 637-5757.
Driving While Texting: How Dangerous Is It?
Few things illustrate the dangers of distracted driving better than the numbers themselves. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,208 people were killed and an estimated 315,167 more were injured in distraction-affected crashes in 2024 across the United States.
A frequently cited example makes it vivid: At highway speed, taking your eyes off the road for just five seconds to read a text is like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. Cell phone use is a leading contributor. When a driver reads a text at high speed, the vehicle can travel farther than most people realize before the driver ever looks up.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that distracted driving continues to contribute to thousands of traffic deaths each year. The Governors Highway Safety Association also describes distracted driving as a persistent and deadly problem on U.S. roads. Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it creates three forms of distraction at once: visual, manual, and cognitive distraction.
If you were hurt in one of these preventable wrecks, you deserve answers and accountability. Talk to the attorneys at Rasmussen Injury Law today at (480) 637-5757 or reach out online.
Arizona’s Hands-Free Law
Arizona enforces a statewide hands-free law under A.R.S. 28-914. It is illegal to hold or physically support a phone or other electronic device while driving. You may use your phone through a hands-free setup, such as Bluetooth or a mounted holder, and you are allowed a single tap or swipe to start or end a function like a call or navigation. Holding the phone in your hand while behind the wheel, however, is prohibited, whether you are texting, dialing, or scrolling.
The law gives law enforcement the authority to stop and cite a driver for holding a phone while driving, even if no other violation occurred. It applies throughout the state, from Glendale side streets to the busiest Phoenix freeways, and there is no local patchwork of exceptions to memorize.
Injured by a driver who was breaking this law? Let Rasmussen Injury Law hold them accountable. Call (480) 637-5757 for your free case evaluation.
Penalties for Distracted Driving in Arizona
The penalties have real teeth, and they recently became even tougher. A first violation carries a civil penalty of $75 to $149. Under House Bill 2109, signed into law in 2026, a second or subsequent violation now carries a $400 civil penalty. The law also adds a $150 civil penalty when a distracted-driving violation results in a collision involving a motorcycle. If distracted driving causes a crash that injures someone, the driver may also face civil liability for the injuries and other damages they caused.
Emergencies are treated differently. The law preserves exceptions that let you use a device to report a crime or call for help. Outside of those situations, though, the message from the state is clear: put the phone down. Penalties punish the driver, but they do not pay your medical bills. (To pursue the compensation you are owed, contact Rasmussen Injury Law at (480) 637-5757.)
Young Drivers and Distraction
The risk of distracted driving is not spread evenly. Young drivers carry the highest proportion of distraction in fatal crashes, in part because they have grown up with a phone in hand and are more likely to check social media or answer a text behind the wheel. Inexperience compounds the danger, since a newer driver has fewer split-second habits to fall back on when something goes wrong.
Parents in Mesa, Glendale, and Tucson can make a real difference by modeling phone-free driving and setting firm expectations before handing over the keys. If a young or inexperienced driver caused your crash, the same laws and the same right to compensation apply.
Your Rights After a Distracted-Driving Crash
If a distracted driver injured you, Arizona law may allow you to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering, depending on the facts of your case.
Proving the other driver was distracted often makes a claim stronger, and there are ways to do it, from phone records and witness statements to the police report and, sometimes, the driver’s own admission. Insurance companies know a distracted-driving crash is hard to defend, which is exactly why they may try to settle fast or shift blame onto you.
When you’re ready to speak with an attorney, call Rasmussen Injury Law at (480) 637-5757.
Frequently Asked Questions About Distracted Driving in Arizona
Is it illegal to use your phone while driving in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona’s statewide hands-free law generally makes it illegal to hold or physically support a cellphone or other portable electronic device while driving. Drivers may use hands-free technology such as Bluetooth or a mounted phone holder, but holding a phone to text, scroll, or make a call is generally prohibited. Even when a driver is not cited under Arizona’s hands-free law, distracted driving can still be evidence of negligence in an Arizona car accident claim.
Can I sue a distracted driver after an Arizona car accident?
Yes. If a distracted driver caused your Arizona car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses. Even if you think you were partly at fault, Arizona’s comparative negligence law may still allow you to recover compensation.
Every distracted driving accident is different, so the value of your claim depends on the severity of your injuries, the available evidence, and other facts unique to your case.
How can I prove the other driver was distracted?
Evidence in a distracted driving accident case may include the police report, eyewitness statements, cellphone records, surveillance video, dash camera footage, photographs from the crash scene, and the driver’s own statements. An experienced Arizona distracted driving lawyer can also investigate whether electronic data or other evidence supports your injury claim.
What if the distracted driver denies using their phone?
It is common for drivers to deny texting or using a cellphone after a crash. That does not necessarily end your case. Phone records, witness testimony, surveillance footage, and other evidence may help show that the driver was distracted. Insurance companies look at the entire body of evidence, not just what the at-fault driver says.
What should I do after a distracted driving accident in Arizona?
Call 911 if anyone is injured, seek medical attention as soon as possible, exchange information with the other driver, take photographs of the scene if it is safe to do so, and avoid discussing fault at the scene. Keep copies of your medical records and repair estimates, and consider speaking with an Arizona car accident attorney before accepting an insurance settlement. The sooner evidence is preserved, the stronger your distracted driving injury claim may be.
Contact Rasmussen Injury Law today for a free case evaluation.
Why Choose Rasmussen Injury Law
With more than 30 years of combined experience resolving personal injury claims across Arizona, the team at Rasmussen Injury Law knows how to build a distracted-driving case and stand up to the insurance companies that defend these drivers. We serve clients in Mesa, Glendale, Tucson, and throughout the state, and we work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover money for you.
You focus on healing. We will handle the rest. Call Rasmussen Injury Law today at (480) 637-5757 or request your free case evaluation online. There is no cost to talk and no fee unless we win.