State Laws and Consequences for Vehicular Hit and Run

 

Accidents are never deliberate, and without wanting you might be involved in one which causes personal injury or damage to property or another vehicle. If such an accident does occur, the person at fault should make every effort to correct the mistake which they have made and to make sure that the accident is filed with the police.

 

In most states, if a person leaves the scene of the accident without stopping to check if anyone was hurt in the accident or without reporting the accident to the authorities, it is considered hit and run. After an accident, it is understood that the person at fault will try to correct any mistake they have made without leaving the scene, which if overlooked, can easily convert to a purposeful offense.

 

When do people leave the scene after an accident?

 

Many people leave the scene of the accident. This could be due to several reasons such as:

 

• If they had been involved in a crime just before the accident, they could be running away from it and do not want to be prosecuted for another crime
• They may be carrying drugs with them and do not want to be charged with driving while in possession of drugs or other controlled substances
• They may be drunk and just want to get away without being charged with DUI

 

In these cases, the person at mistake will ignore the accident and try to leave the scene to prevent further prosecution. In other cases, the person may be simply nervous and afraid to face the consequences as a result of the accident and might find it easy to leave the scene.

 

Whatever the case, running from the scene of an accident is a crime. Anyone involved in a road accident should stop to exchange information, including basic information, driver’s license information, insurance information and vehicle registration information. They are also expected to assist victims in the form of transforming them to a nearby health facility for treatment. They should also inform their insurance companies about the accident and let them sort out the rest. People involved in road accidents are also required to report the accident to a local police department. Failing to do so will be considered a hit and run which has harsh penalties.

 

In the case if police authorities are not present at the scene, it is the duty of the people involved in the accident to report it to a local police department over phone. According to the laws for hit and run, if the accident caused at least $250 in damage to a vehicle or property, the driver will be subject to fines and possible jail time. In most states, these fines range from$200 to $400 for a first offense and $400 to $600 for a second offense. Jail sentence for a first time offense can be up to 30 days, whereas it can be between 30 to 90 days for a second offense.

 

Hit and run cases which involve injury or death of another person have harsher penalties, with fines between $500-$1000 for a first offense and $1000-$2000 for a second offense. This fine is also accompanied with jail time of up to 180 days. Drivers convicted of hit and run also lose their driving privileges for six months for a first offense and for a year for the second offense.