What to Do if You're Involved in a Hit & Run

Being involved in a hit and run accident is incredibly stressful and many people don’t know what steps to take when it happens. A million questions run through the mind in these situations and we’ve got the answers to help you get through this frustrating experience if it ever happens to you.

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TWO TYPES OF HIT & RUNS

1. One type of hit and run involves a driver hitting an unattended parked car and driving off without bothering to leave their contact information.


2. The second type is when a driver hits an attended vehicle, whether on the road or in a parking lot, and then speeds off to avoid having to pay for damages.

WHAT TO DO NEXT

There are many dos and don’ts that you should follow if you’re involved in a hit and run accident. Let’s start with what you should do:

• If you’re involved in the second type of hit and run, try and get a look at the other driver’s license plate number and write it down. Also, if you catch a glimpse of the driver, write down a description while it’s still clear in your head.
• See if you can get witnesses. If there was anyone around who saw what happened, ask them for information. Also, make sure to get their contact information.
• Call the police as soon as possible and do an accident report.
• Always take photos of the damage, getting both wide shots and close-up pictures.
• Note if there is a traffic camera or security camera nearby that might have caught the accident.
• Note the time and location of the accident for your future reference, along with writing down your vehicle damage (even if you took photos).
• Finally, make sure you call your insurance company and report the accident to them.

Next are a few things that you should never do following a hit and run accident. They’re not only dangerous, but could also possibly create suspicion about who was really at fault in the accident:

• Do not go after the fleeing driver.
• Do not flee the scene yourself.
• Do not block traffic if possible. Move to a safe location if your vehicle is still mobile, but stay within close proximity to the scene of the crime until you complete the steps above.