According to a 2021 study sponsored by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, hit-and-run crashes claim around 1,800 lives nationwide each year, making up roughly 5% of overall deaths on American roads.
When the at-fault driver flees the scene of a collision, it can make things a lot more difficult for both the authorities and other road users affected by the accident. If you can’t identify the person who causes you injuries or property damage, you can’t file a lawsuit against them.
That’s why it’s crucial to involve a lawyer as soon as possible after being involved in an accident like this, as this will maximize your chances of finding the responsible driver and holding them accountable.
Pennsylvania law requires drivers to take certain steps after they have a crash. These include:
It’s important to note that these rules apply regardless of who is at fault for an accident. So, if another car runs a red light and plows into the side of your vehicle, it’s still a criminal offense for you to continue on your journey without taking the steps listed above.
Also, the rules may apply to you even if you don’t suffer an impact in the accident. Pennsylvanian courts have ruled that drivers who fail to stop after causing other road users to have an accident via negligent driving may be guilty of a hit-and-run offense.
Drivers usually exchange insurance information and document any damages to their respective vehicles at the site of the accident. However, in a hit-and-run, this is obviously not possible. So, it’s imperative that you make a note of whatever details you can to make things easier for yourself.
Note the license plate number, color, year, make, and model of the fleeing driver’s car. Try to record as much information as you can about the physical description of the driver. It may also be helpful to note any of the other car’s distinguishing features, particularly any damage it sustained in your accident.
Be sure to talk to any witnesses and collect their contact information. Insurance companies will often require verification of a hit-and-run accident from bystander witnesses, officially known as “third-party arms-length witnesses.” These must be people with whom you had no connection prior to your accident; a passenger in your vehicle would not count. Insurance companies require testimonies from these witnesses to defend themselves against false claims.
Your health should always be your first priority after an accident of any kind. If a doctor or nurse arrives on the scene, they will be able to advise you about any injuries you may have sustained, even if adrenaline has prevented you from noticing the symptoms. Whiplash, for example, might not be noticeable at first, but within a few days it will most likely act up. Other serious injuries you might sustain in a car accident situation include bone fractures and internal bleeding.
Pennsylvania is a “choice no-fault" state, which means you may or may not be entitled to no-fault benefits from your own insurance provider following a hit-and-run, depending on the type of coverage you have.
Following auto accidents in which the at-fault driver flees the scene, victims with no-fault coverage may be able to benefit from collision coverage, uninsured bodily or property damage, personal injury protection, or medical payment coverage. So, even if someone crashes into you and leaves without sharing their information, insurance may not be a lost cause.
If you have any questions about what options your plan offers or need advice following a hit-and-run incident, you should talk with your insurance agent or consult with a hit-and-run lawyer.
It’s important to remember that insurance companies tend to look for any available method of reducing the amount they need to pay out on claims. Being detail-oriented and organized will strengthen your claim and make it easier to get the compensation you deserve.
You should note that liability insurance does not apply does not apply in hit-and-run cases; it only covers costs arising from accidents caused by policyholders themselves.
It’s technically always possible to apprehend a hit-and-run driver, but most of these cases don’t end with the culprit being caught. Though up-to-date nationwide statistics are not publicly available, a report from the Los Angeles Daily Times in 2018 estimated that only 8% of the reported hit-and-run cases in that city the previous year were cracked by police.
However, it’s not necessarily a lost cause. The more helpful information you can give police, the better their chances of apprehending the culprit. Also, the more serious your accident is, the more resources the police will devote to catching the person who caused it.
Leaving the scene of an accident is always a criminal offense in Pennsylvania, per Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, but the applicable penalties vary depending on the seriousness of the accident.
For accidents resulting only in property damage, leaving the scene of the collision is a 3rd degree misdemeanor carrying maximum penalties of a year in prison and a fine of $2,500. The charge rises to a 3rd degree felony if the crash causes injuries; a conviction here carries a jail sentence of at least 90 days and a maximum of 7 years, along with a minimum fine of $1,000. If there is a fatality involved in the accident, leaving the scene becomes a felony of the second degree. Defendants in this situation will face between three and seven years behind bars and a fine of at least $2,500.
The award-winning auto accident attorneys at The Cochran Firm in Philadelphia are here to help you pursue the compensation you deserve. Contact us via our online contact form or over the phone at 800-969-4400.
