Arizona Rules of the Road: DUI, Speeding, and Right-of-Way

The Arizona rules of the road are set out in Title 28 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, and they cover speed, right-of-way, phone use, impaired driving, seat belts, insurance, and the points that follow you after a conviction. Penalties run from small civil fines to felony prison time. Here is what applies when you drive in the state, and what happens if you break the rules.

Speed Limits and Criminal Speeding

Arizona has no single statewide speed limit. The law requires a “reasonable and prudent” speed for the conditions, which means posted limits are a maximum under normal conditions and you may need to go slower in rain, traffic, or poor visibility.¹ Default limits apply when no signs say otherwise: 25 mph in business and residential districts, 65 mph on rural interstates, with some rural interstate segments posted at 75 mph.² School zones drop to 15 mph when signs show school is in session and children are present.

Most speeding tickets are civil infractions. Cross certain thresholds and the offense turns criminal. Under A.R.S. 28-701.02, you commit a class 3 misdemeanor if you exceed 35 mph approaching a school crossing, exceed the posted limit by more than 20 mph in a business or residential district (or exceed 45 mph where no limit is posted), or exceed the posted limit by more than 20 mph anywhere else.³ A class 3 misdemeanor means a criminal record, potential jail time, and larger fines than a standard ticket. If you are charged criminally, you will not also receive a civil speeding citation from the same stop.

Right-of-Way

Most intersection collisions come down to who was supposed to go first. When two vehicles reach an uncontrolled intersection at about the same time from different roads, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right. At an uncontrolled T-intersection, the vehicle on the terminating road yields to the through road.⁴

A driver turning left must yield to oncoming traffic that is in the intersection or close enough to be a hazard.⁵ On a green light, you still yield to traffic and pedestrians already lawfully in the intersection.⁶ Right turns on red are allowed unless a sign prohibits them, after a full stop and after yielding to pedestrians and cross traffic.

Drivers must yield to pedestrians in any crosswalk, marked or unmarked, when the pedestrian is on the driver’s half of the road or close enough to be in danger. Passing a vehicle already stopped for a pedestrian at a crosswalk is illegal.⁷ Pedestrians cannot step off a curb into the path of a vehicle so close that the driver has no chance to yield.

Emergency Vehicles and Move Over

When an emergency vehicle approaches with lights and sirens on, you must yield and pull to the right until it passes. Arizona’s Move Over law also covers stationary vehicles displaying flashing or warning lights on the roadside, including police, ambulances, tow trucks, and highway maintenance. Move into a non-adjacent lane, or, if that is unsafe, slow down and proceed with caution. Fines are $275 for a first offense, $500 for a second within five years, and $1,000 for a third within that window.⁸

Lane Use and HOV

If you are traveling slower than the flow of traffic on a multi-lane road, you must stay as far right as practicable. Exceptions are passing, preparing for a left turn, or avoiding a hazard.⁹ Merging vehicles yield to traffic already on the freeway.⁴ Lane changes require you to stay within a single lane until the change is safe.¹⁰

HOV lanes on Arizona freeways are restricted to vehicles with at least two occupants during designated hours. Driving solo in an HOV lane during restricted times carries a $200 civil penalty. Certain alternative-fuel and electric vehicles with qualifying plates may use HOV lanes regardless of occupancy.¹¹

Phones and Distracted Driving

Since January 1, 2021, Arizona has banned holding or physically supporting a phone or electronic device while driving. No texting, no handheld calls, no scrolling, no reading messages. This is a primary offense, so an officer can pull you over for it alone. First-offense fines run from $75 to $149; a second or later offense costs $150 to $250.¹² Phone use can also support a reckless driving charge or count as evidence of negligence in a civil case after a crash.

Hands-free use through Bluetooth, voice commands, a dashboard mount, or a wrist-worn device remains legal. Navigation apps and GPS are permitted as long as you are not holding the device. You may pick up a handheld phone to call 911. Emergency responders, licensed radio operators, and commercial drivers using two-way radios on the job are exempt.¹²

DUI

Arizona DUI enforcement is among the harshest in the country. The state recognizes three tiers.

Standard DUI

You commit a DUI with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher within two hours of driving, or if you are impaired “to the slightest degree” by alcohol, drugs, or a combination. That slightest-degree standard matters: even under 0.08, you can be convicted if the state proves any impairment. Commercial license holders face a 0.04 threshold.¹³

A first conviction brings a 90-day license suspension (with restricted driving possible after 30 days), a 12-month ignition interlock requirement, mandatory Traffic Survival School, and SR-22 insurance filing, plus jail time and fines.¹⁴

Extreme DUI

Extreme DUI splits into two levels by BAC. A BAC of 0.15 to just under 0.20 carries a minimum of 30 consecutive days in jail, reducible to 9 days with an ignition interlock. A BAC of 0.20 or higher carries a minimum of 45 consecutive days, reducible to 14 days with an interlock. A second extreme DUI within 84 months raises the minimum to 120 days (60 consecutive) for the 0.15–0.20 range, and 180 days (90 consecutive) for 0.20 or above.¹⁵

Aggravated DUI

A DUI becomes a felony when certain factors are present: driving on a suspended or revoked license, a third DUI within 84 months, wrong-way driving on a highway while impaired, or a passenger under 15 in the vehicle. Most aggravated DUI charges are class 4 felonies with a minimum of four months in prison and no probation or early release. A third or later conviction within 84 months requires at least eight months.¹⁶

Refusing the Test

By driving on Arizona roads, you consent to a breath, blood, or urine test after a DUI arrest. Refusing does not stop prosecution. It does trigger an automatic 12-month license suspension for a first refusal, or two years if you refused before within an 84-month period. You will also have to complete a drug or alcohol screening program before reinstatement.¹⁷

Seat Belts and Child Restraints

Every front-seat occupant must wear a seat belt. The driver is also responsible for making sure all passengers under 16 are buckled, wherever they sit.¹⁸ Arizona does not require rear-seat passengers 16 and older to wear seat belts, though going without one can hurt a personal injury claim after a crash. Seat belt enforcement is secondary: an officer cannot stop you solely because you are not wearing one.¹⁹

Child seat rules are stricter and carry primary enforcement. Children under five must ride in a child restraint system. Children ages five through seven who are under 4 feet 9 inches tall must use a booster seat or other child restraint meeting federal standards. Violations bring fines and mandatory safety education.²⁰

School Zones and Work Zones

When portable signs show school is in session and children may be present, the speed limit is 15 mph. All vehicles must stop when anyone is in the crosswalk, and passing another vehicle in the zone is prohibited. Civil penalties double when signs indicate the increased penalty.²¹ Going over 35 mph near a school crossing also triggers criminal speeding.³

In state highway work zones with workers present and traffic control signs posted, speeding fines double: the normal fine plus an additional assessment of the same amount.²² Reckless driving through a work zone can bring separate charges on top of the speeding violation.

Bicycles and Pedestrians

Cyclists have the same rights and duties as motor vehicle operators on the roadway.²³ They must obey signals, ride as far right as practicable in most cases, and hand-signal turns, with exceptions for passing, road hazards, and left-turn preparation.

Motorists must leave at least three feet of clearance when passing a bicycle. A close pass that causes serious injury exposes the driver to criminal penalties beyond the standard fine.²⁴

Pedestrians must use crosswalks where available. Between two adjacent intersections both controlled by traffic signals, crossing outside a marked crosswalk is a citable offense.²⁵

Crashes and Insurance

If a crash causes any injury, death, or property damage over $2,000, law enforcement must complete a full written accident report. Crashes with $2,000 or less in damage still require an abbreviated report covering the time, location, parties, and a diagram.²⁶ Leaving the scene of an injury crash carries 6 points on your driving record.

Every Arizona driver must carry liability coverage of at least $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury to two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage, commonly written as 25/50/15.²⁷ Driving uninsured brings escalating penalties:

First violation: minimum $500 fine and a three-month suspension or restriction of driving privileges.
Second violation within 36 months: minimum $750 fine and a six-month suspension of license and vehicle registration.
Third or later violation within 36 months: minimum $1,000 fine and a one-year suspension of license and registration, plus proof of financial responsibility before reinstatement.

If you can prove valid coverage was in force at the time of the citation, the charge can be dismissed.²⁸

Points and License Suspension

Every moving violation conviction adds points to your record. When several violations come from the same stop, only the highest-point violation counts. Reach 8 or more points in any 12-month period and you face mandatory Traffic Survival School or a suspension of up to 12 months.²⁹

Common violations are scored as follows:

8 points: DUI, extreme DUI, reckless driving, aggressive driving.
6 points: hit-and-run, or running a signal or stop sign when the violation causes a death.
4 points: running a signal or stop sign when the violation causes serious injury.
3 points: speeding.
2 points: most other moving violations.

A single DUI conviction puts you at the 8-point threshold on its own. Combined with jail time, fines, license suspension, and the interlock requirement, even a first offense reshapes your driving life for well over a year.²⁹

1
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-701 – Reasonable and Prudent Speed; Prima Facie Evidence; Exceptions
2
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-702.04 – Maximum Speed Limit on Interstate Highways Outside Urbanized Areas and Within Certain Counties; Definition
3
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-701.02 – Excessive Speeds; Classification
4
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-771 – Vehicle at Intersection; Exception; Entering Freeway
5
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-772 – Vehicle Turning Left at Intersection
6
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-645 – Traffic Control Signal Legend
7
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-792 – Right-of-Way at Crosswalk
8
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-775 – Authorized Emergency Vehicles; Approaching; Following Fire Apparatus; Passing Stationary Vehicles; Violation; Civil Penalties
9
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-721 – Driving on Right Side of Roadway; Driving on Shoulder; Exceptions; Education
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-729 – Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-737 – High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes; Civil Penalty; Definition
12
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-914 – Use of Portable Wireless Communication Device While Driving; Prohibition; Civil Penalty; State Preemption; Definitions
13
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1381 – Driving or Actual Physical Control While Under the Influence
14
Arizona Department of Transportation. Driving Under the Influence (DUI)
15
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1382 – Driving or Actual Physical Control While Under the Extreme Influence of Intoxicating Liquor
16
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1383 – Aggravated Driving or Actual Physical Control While Under the Influence
17
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-1321 – Implied Consent; Tests; Refusal to Submit to Test
18
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-909 – Vehicle Restraints Required; Exceptions; Civil Penalty
19
Arizona Legislature. Arizona’s Seat Belt Laws
20
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-907 – Child Restraint System; Civil Penalty; Exemptions; Notice; Child Restraint Fund; Definitions
21
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-797 – School Crossings; Civil Penalty; Assessment; Definition
22
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-710 – State Highway Work Zone Safety; Civil Penalty; Fund
23
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-812 – Applicability of Traffic Laws to Bicycle Riders
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Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-735 – Overtaking Bicycles; Civil Penalties
25
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-793 – Crossing at Other Than Crosswalk
26
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-667 – Written Accident Report; Definition
27
Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions. Automobile Insurance
28
Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 28-4135 – Motor Vehicle Financial Responsibility Requirement; Civil Penalties; Restricted Driving Privilege; Evidence at Hearing
29
Arizona Department of Transportation. Points Assessment