According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, in 2022, there were a reported 104,895 hit-and-run car accidents in the state. These accidents subsequently resulted in approximately 1,007 bodily injuries and 266 fatalities. If you have fallen victim to such an accident, you must do everything to resolve it. Without further ado, please read on to discover why the other driver may flee the scene of your accident and how a seasoned Tampa car accident lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you get a handle on this situation.
Why did the other driver flee the scene of my car accident?
Understandably, drivers enter a panicked state in the immediate moments following their car accident event. With this, their instinct may be to simply flee the scene. While none of these are reasonable excuses, below are possible reasons why the other driver involved in your accident fled:
- The other driver may have been under the influence of drugs and alcohol and did not even comprehend that they crashed into you.
- The other driver may have been driving without any auto insurance coverage and did not want you to get their information.
- The other driver may have had a warrant for their arrest and did not want any law enforcement intervention.
- The other driver may have been illegally present in the U.S. and did not want Immigration and Customs Enforcement to find them.
- The other driver may have been driving a company-owned vehicle and did not want their job status to be threatened afterward.
What should I do when the other driver flees?
There is no sense chasing down the other driver as they attempt to flee the scene of your car accident. For one, you do not know if they are a dangerous individual (i.e., they are under the influence, they are in possession of a weapon, they are in trouble with the law, etc). Secondly, you do not know if your vehicle is safe enough to operate anymore after its collision. And most importantly, it may be against the law to leave the scene when victims of bodily injuries and property damages exist. Rather, it is in your best interest to handle the other driver fleeing the scene with the following actions:
- Quickly snap photos or write down the other vehicle’s make, model, color, and license plate number.
- Dial 911 and relay these vehicle details and the driver’s general point of direction to the dispatcher.
- Capture photos and videos of your bodily injuries and vehicle damages while you wait for law enforcement to arrive at the scene.
- Offer your version of events to the law enforcement officer conducting an official accident report at the scene.
- Speak with eyewitnesses and ask if they caught any other details or took any photos or videos of the accident event.
In conclusion, before entering the legal arena, you must retain the services of a competent Tampa auto accident lawyer. Reach out to Merricks Law Group, P.A. today.
