Unfortunately, hit-and-run crashes will not go away any time soon. In fact, an average of 682,000 hit-and-run crashes has occurred every year since 2006, according to data from AAA NewsRoom.
If you become involved in a traffic collision and the other vehicle drives off, then you will naturally feel frustrated and afraid. You may have medical expenses you need to pay for. Here are the steps to take to protect yourself.
Collect evidence
You may feel thrown off at the scene, but it is important to maintain your wits about you to gather as much evidence as you can. See if you can get a look at the other car’s license plate number. If you cannot, then you should get a look at the color, make and model of the vehicle. Any information, no matter how small it may seem, will be beneficial.
Call for assistance
You will want to contact the police to come out to the scene and create a report. Inform them it is a hit-and-run incident. You should also request for an ambulance to come out to take you to a nearby hospital. When the police arrive, tell them everything that happened.
Move your car to the side of the road
As you wait for the police to arrive, you can move your car to the side of the road, but only if it is safe to do so. You do not want to risk injuring yourself further or causing more damage to the vehicle.
Call your insurance company
Finally, you will want to speak with an insurance representative to inform the agency what happened. You will also want to provide the company with pictures and other evidence of the crash eventually. There is no need to get into all the details of the case with your agent. You simply need to provide the facts. You can wait to speak with your insurance company until you have hired an attorney.