How Construction Detours Are Creating New Crash Hotspots in Tempe

If you've driven through Tempe recently, odds are you've been forced onto a side street you weren’t planning to use. Ongoing road work and utility upgrades have rerouted traffic all over the city—especially in South Tempe, near major corridors like Elliot, Warner, and McClintock.

These detours aren’t just frustrating—they’re causing crashes. In fact, construction-related rerouting is now one of the fastest-growing causes of accidents in Tempe. The reasons range from confusion over temporary signage to drivers making rushed decisions on unfamiliar roads.

The Tempe car accident attorney homepage covers broader legal help after a crash, but this post focuses on a specific (and growing) issue: how city detours are quietly turning safe neighborhoods into accident zones.

What the Data Is Starting to Show

Tempe’s Department of Public Works regularly publishes road construction schedules and detour maps, most of which are available through tempe.gov. What they don’t publish—but residents are noticing—is how these detours are shifting traffic into areas that weren’t designed to handle the volume or speed.

You now have:

• Commuters using narrow residential streets

• Rushed drivers ignoring new stop signs

• Increased confusion at four-way stops with no traffic signals

• App-based rerouting (via Google Maps or Waze) pushing traffic through odd side routes

This kind of congestion is new to places like South Tempe, which weren’t built to be high-capacity corridors. The result? More accidents. And more finger-pointing when it comes to determining fault.

Why Detours Increase Crash Risk

There are several ways construction detours turn normal roads into danger zones:

1. Unfamiliar Traffic Patterns

Drivers who usually take baseline routes like University or Rural are suddenly forced to navigate streets they’ve never seen before. That increases hesitation, last-minute lane changes, and missed signs, especially at intersections with minimal markings.

2. Temporary Signage Isn’t Always Clear

Orange signs don’t always explain who has the right of way, and temporary stop signs or cones can be missed—especially in low-light conditions or during storms. Drivers unfamiliar with the area may assume it’s a yield or treat it like a four-way stop, even when it isn’t.

3. Aggressive Driving Under Time Pressure

Tempe is a commuter-heavy city, and when people are late for work or class, they don’t slow down just because they’re off-route. They speed through neighborhood turns, ignore right-of-way rules, and misjudge who’s going straight or turning.

This aggressive behavior, particularly during peak hours, is leading to a spike in T-bone collisions and sideswipes near temporary intersections.

Not Just Rear-Ends—These Are Complex Crashes

Unlike standard rear-end collisions, which often occur at signal lights or in slow traffic, construction-related crashes involve:

• Mid-block left turns without signals

• Confused drivers braking or reversing

• Close-proximity merges

• Pedestrian crosswalks rerouted into active lanes

And because these aren’t typical crash patterns, police reports and insurance claims get much more complicated.

If you’ve been hit in a construction detour, documentation is everything. Even small details—like unclear signage or sudden lane drops—can help show liability. The Arizona court system outlines the standards for proving negligence, but most of it boils down to evidence.

Distracted Drivers Make It Worse

One thing about detours: they make everyone reach for their phone. Whether it’s checking the route, calling a boss to say you’ll be late, or glancing at a GPS, drivers are more distracted in construction zones than anywhere else.

That’s led to a surge in distracted driving accidents, particularly at intersections where detour signs conflict with permanent signage. Drivers aren’t sure what the correct rule is, and instead of slowing down to figure it out, they follow the car in front—blindly.

Who’s Legally At Fault?

This is where things get murky. In a typical crash, the driver who breaks a traffic law is liable. But in a detour crash, several factors muddy the waters:

• The city may be partially liable for poor signage or unsafe design

• A construction company might be liable for unclear detour setup

• A driver may argue they were “forced” into an unsafe lane

• Insurance companies often try to shift blame to both parties

Arizona follows a pure comparative fault system, meaning even if you’re partially at fault, you may still recover damages—just reduced by your percentage of blame.

To prove your share of the truth, you’ll need:

• Photos of the detour layout

• Dash cam footage if available

• Witness statements

• Medical records if injured

The burden of proof in these cases often falls on the driver who did follow the rules, so collecting evidence is crucial.

For documentation tips and next steps, visit the Tempe car accident legal resource center.

Tempe’s Long-Term Plan—and Why It Doesn’t Help Right Now

Tempe’s transportation plan includes long-term upgrades meant to ease traffic and modernize infrastructure. You can view current projects on az.gov, including light rail expansions, new roundabouts, and pedestrian improvements.

But those long-term plans don’t protect drivers today from sudden reroutes, confusing barricades, or increased local congestion. Until these upgrades are completed—and construction zones are better managed—Tempe drivers are going to continue facing crash risks in unexpected places.

What to Do If You’re in a Detour Crash

1. Call police immediately – Even minor crashes in construction zones need formal documentation

2. Photograph everything – The signs, the cones, the confusion—your camera tells a story

3. Get checked medically – Impact injuries are common even in slow-speed confusion crashes

4. Avoid speculative blame – Don’t say “I didn’t know where to go” or “I followed the signs wrong”

5. Track detour details – Write down the cross streets, the detour direction, and any nearby construction signs

If you need help figuring out whether your crash happened in a city-managed or contractor-managed zone, Tempe’s legal info hub can help point you in the right direction.

Final Thoughts

Construction detours are more than just a nuisance in Tempe—they’re changing traffic patterns, increasing confusion, and creating new hotspots for serious crashes. If you’re injured in one of these collisions, your legal path won’t be as straightforward as a typical rear-end or fender bender.

But with the right evidence and a clear understanding of Arizona law, you can still protect your rights—and hold the right party accountable.

Need help figuring out what to do next? The Tempe car accident attorney website has tools to guide you.