Being in a car accident is a terrifying and stressful experience. Many victims are left with physical and mental injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder, after a serious car accident.
In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, after checking for injuries, you may be prepared to go through the motions of exchanging contact and insurance information with the other driver. But the truth is that not all drivers stick around.
Although the law requires drivers to remain at the scene of a car accident, many do not. According to the American Automobile Association, approximately 11% of accidents reported to the police involve a driver that left the scene.
There are many reasons that drivers flee
The other driver may be afraid of the consequences of getting into an accident, such as losing their driver’s license or car insurance. They might have active criminal warrants out against them or be drunk and afraid of being arrested for DUI. Perhaps they have never been in a car accident before and panicked.
You are likely to be in shock and running on adrenaline right after the accident, but any details you can remember about the other vehicle in these moments helps.
The license plate number of the vehicle is obviously the best piece of information, but if you cannot get that, document other characteristics about the vehicle, such as the make, model and color. Document if the vehicle had any unique features such as tinted windows or bumper stickers.
Document information about the accident itself. Write down where the accident occurred, what time of day it was and the weather conditions. Write down your own impressions of how the accident happened, such as how fast you were driving, which direction you were going in and what caused the accident.
Why you still need a police report
Call the police and have a report made. You may believe this is pointless if the other driver is not there, but police have resources they can use to potentially locate the other driver.
Additionally, a police report documenting details about the accident is valuable when you make a claim for damages to your insurance company.
Talk to witnesses at the scene. Bystanders who witnessed the accident could have seen details that you missed.
Witnesses can include nearby business owners. The accident may have been captured on surveillance or security cameras.
Do not chase after the fleeing driver
There are many reasons this could cause problems.
You must preserve the accident scene. Leaving the scene to chase the other driver disturbs the accident scene and any potentially valuable evidence.
Without you there, it becomes harder for the police to determine what happened. Your recollections of the accident are likely to be seen as less believable if you also immediately took off afterwards.
You could also be heading straight into more danger if you find the other driver. They could be speeding or driving while intoxicated which could lead to another accident. If you find them and confront them, an altercation may occur.
File a claim with your insurance company under your uninsured motorist policy, if you have one. If your claim is denied, you can fight the denial to receive compensation for your damages. This is where your recollections from after the accident and evidence become extremely helpful.