What To Do After A Hit And Run Accident?

Usually, after a car accident, the people involved stop, exchange information such as insurance, and seek medical attention if necessary. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. It’s estimated that over 10% of all accidents reported to police are hit and runs. While your options after a hit and run will vary based on your vehicle insurance coverage, there are some standard practices that you should follow. Here’s what to do after a hit-and-run accident.

What Should I Do After a Hit-and-Run Accident?

Image via Flickr by cygnus921

If you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident, there are few things you should do. These include:

• Call 911 if you or someone else in the vehicle has been injured.
• Try to gather as much information as possible after the car and driver that fled the scene.
  • License plate number.
  • Color, make, and model of the other vehicle.
  • A description of the damages to the other vehicle.
  • Location, time, and date of the accident.
  • What may have caused the accident.
• Try to gather eyewitness accounts of the accident if there are witnesses around. They can give their statement to the police or you, but this information is important.

There are also a few things you shouldn’t do if you’re involved in a hit and run. These include:

• Do not, under any circumstance, follow the vehicle that is fleeing the scene. This could put you in a compromising position, and the police may question who was indeed at fault for the accident. It also puts you at risk for another accident.
• Don’t wait to call the police or file a police report.
• Don’t wait to file an insurance claim if damages or injuries happened due to the accident.

Is Leaving the Scene of an Accident a Felony in Kentucky?

A hit and run is defined as an accident involving a vehicle leaving the scene and is classified as a crime. It’s illegal to leave the scene of an accident, and doing so can result in serious legal consequences. This includes accidents involving pedestrians, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles.

There are several reasons that a driver may choose to flee the scene after an accident, including the following:

• Lack of proper automobile insurance.
• Under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Driving a vehicle that doesn’t belong to them.
• Already breaking some sort of law.

Penalties for a hit and run may include fines, criminal charges, license revocation, and possibly even jail time. In Kentucky, fleeing the scene after an accident is considered a Class A misdemeanor unless serious physical injury or a death is involved. At that point, the hit and run becomes a Class D felony. The penalty in Kentucky for a Class A misdemeanor may include up to 365 days in jail and a fee of up to $500.

What Covers You if a Hit and Run Driver Injures You?

If you are the victim of a hit and run, your auto insurance policy may help to cover your expenses. In Kentucky, you’re required to carry automobile insurance, including, but not limited to, minimum liability. Coverage requirements include $25,000.00 for claims to bodily injury sustained by any person and no less than $50,000.00 for bodily injury damages sustained by all persons as the result of one accident. There’s also a requirement of $25,000.00 for property damages as a result of any one accident.

Who Pays for Damages In a Hit and Run?

Collision insurance coverage helps to pay for repairs to your vehicle resulting from a hit-and-run accident, regardless of fault. If you’re the victim of this type of accident, you should contact your insurance company. This type of insurance has a deductible, so you’ll be responsible for paying this amount out-of-pocket even if the accident wasn’t your fault. You may be able to recover this amount if the driver that fled the scene is found.

Do Police Check Cameras for Hit and Runs?

When a hit and run accident occurs, police will want evidence of the accident. This includes taking pictures of the scene as well as damages. They will also investigate, which includes speaking to eyewitnesses and checking traffic cameras that are in place when available.

What Happens When a Hit and Run Driver is Caught?

When a hit-and-run driver is caught, they will potentially face legal repercussions. Police will question the person they suspect fled the scene and file any appropriate charges. You may also be able to file an insurance claim against the driver of the hit and run if they’re caught. This may help you get some of the money back that you’ve had to spend on medical bills, vehicle repairs, and insurance deductibles.

What Percentage of Hit and Runs are Solved?

According to current statistics, only 8 to 10% of hit and run accidents are solved. This can usually be blamed on lack of evidence and the frequency that these accidents occur. Police are mandated to investigate all hit and runs, even minor ones, but that doesn’t guarantee that your case will be solved if you’re involved in this type of accident.

Is Gap Insurance Important?

While gap insurance isn’t required, it’s definitely worth the money if you foresee you will owe more on your vehicle than it’s worth. This insurance will pay the difference between what your insurance company deems the car’s worth and the current payoff of your loan if your accident deems that your vehicle is a total loss.

Reach Out to Us Today

If you’ve been involved in a hit-and-run accident, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Oxmoor Ford Lincoln for any repairs or bodywork your vehicle may need. Our team of professionally trained technicians will work hard to get your vehicle back to the condition it was in before, if not better. You can reach us by phone at 502-426-2500 or contact us online 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With a convenient location at 100 Oxmoor Lane in Louisville, it’s easy to stop by and see us for yourself.