The 3 things to do when you’ve been in a hit-and-run accident

Accidents happen, and sometimes they are unavoidable. Usually, both parties stop and try to make sure that the accident is handled in the appropriate manner. There are times when you end up in a hit-and-run accident and the other driver takes off to avoid responsibility. 

An accident is confusing enough, especially if there is an injury involved. A hit and run adds another layer of complexity, so it can be difficult to know what you should do in that circumstance. You’ll need to take the same steps as a normal accident, but a few other things need to happen as well. In this article, we will go over what you should do if the other driver leaves the scene of an accident. 

1 – Identify the car is possible

It is extremely important that you or the police are able to track down the driver of the other car. If you don’t then you could be on the hook for all of the damage that the other person caused. It does all depend on your insurance, but it is likely that if your insurance company does pay for it, you will be facing a deduction and also an increase in your premiums in the following years. 

All of this is the result of what somebody else did. Try to make sure that you can get a clear view of their license plate number at the very minimum. If you do then you can do a license plate lookup so you can find the person. This way that person is going to be responsible for paying for the damage or their insurance company. 

The driver will also be looking at some massive fines and possible jail time, so it is important that they be found to keep them off of the street. If you are unable to get the license plate number, make note of the make and model of the car so the police can possibly track them down by sending out an alert to other offices to be on the lookout. 

2 – Stay safe

An accident can happen after the accident and this makes things even worse. Try to get yourself out of a perilous area and stay safe away from traffic. If you can manage to get your car out of the road then try to do so if it is likely to cause an accident. If not, then leave the car where it is and let the police and emergency crew take care of it so you can stay safe. 

3 – Get witness information 

It is very important that you have some testimony that backs up your version of events. Third-party testimony holds a lot more weight in court since they have no vested interest to lie. If they can corroborate what you claim then your chances are better of having the other driver responsible for the damages. Make sure to collect the phone number or emails of the people who witnessed the accident. 

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