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New Jersey

Personal Injury Attorneys

Dealing with the aftermath of a hit-and-run

On Behalf of | Jan 26, 2021 | Motor Vehicle Accidents |

Being involved in any kind of accident during your day is an annoyance, even if it is a minor fender-bender. However, watching the other driver speed away from the scene of the accident is a special variety of frustration.

The good news is that you can deal with hit-and-run accidents in a very similar way  to “regular” accidents. According to State Farm, however, the most important things to remember are to stay put at the scene of the accident and try to seek out eyewitnesses.

Driving away can be a crime

In the majority of jurisdictions, driving away from the scene of an accident is a crime. This means that the moment the other person leaves, you are at a crime scene. This is why you should stay put at the scene of the accident. If you drive off after the other person, even if you are not the one at fault in the accident, this could leave you legally liable.

Instead, do what you would normally do at the scene of an accident. Call 911 if anybody has sustained an injury and make sure to move your car out of traffic if you must. If nobody has sustained an injury, go ahead and call the police non-emergency number to make a report.

How can eyewitnesses help?

Remember that most people have smartphones these days. It is possible that a savvy eyewitness realized what was going on and took a picture or video evidence of the culprit. If you can get this footage to the police, it will be much easier for them to locate the person who drove away. Pictures of the person him or herself or his or her license plate are particularly valuable.