People break traffic laws all the time which is why so many motor vehicle collisions occur. Although some wrecks are truly accidents that no amount of caution would prevent, the vast majority of collisions are the result of negligence or someone violating traffic laws.
One of the most basic rules of the road is to stop if you are in a collision with another vehicle or a pedestrian. Anytime your vehicle strikes a person or object, you typically need to stop and report the crash. If you are at fault, you may need to provide insurance coverage to the people affected. If you suffered losses and were not at fault, then the other driver could provide you with coverage.
Unfortunately, just like they might fail to use a turn signal or follow the speed limit, the other driver involved in the crash may not stop to report the collision as they should. What happens when a motor vehicle collision becomes a hit-and-run crash?
You need to call the police by yourself
Even if the other driver doesn’t wait to assist you with filing a report, it is your responsibility to reach out to local law enforcement and notify them of the crash. After you file a police report, the local law enforcement agency should investigate.
Traffic cameras and repair shop records are among the many ways in which police officers could tie another person to the hit-and-run crash that injured you or wrecked your vehicle. Once you locate that driver, you can then pursue a claim against their insurance or take them to civil court, sometimes both.
What if the police don’t make an arrest?
Unfortunately, police officers may never identify the driver who is at fault for your crash. The best protection for you in that situation will be your own insurance policy. If you have collision coverage or uninsured motorist protection, you may be able to use your insurance policy to cover some of your costs.
The potential of a hit-and-run crash is one of the best motivators for reviewing your car insurance coverage and making sure you have protection in case you cross paths with someone who is irresponsible and willing to engage in criminal activity by fleeing the scene of a wreck. Asserting your rights after a hit-and-run crash requires that you know them and that you have the proper support.
