Everyone knows a hit and run is a big deal in any part of the country. What defines a Hit-and-Run? When a driver hits another vehicle or other property with their vehicle and leaves the scene without contacting the owner of the other car or property or leaving a note. They don’t report the accident to authorities and essentially leave the scene to avoid consequences. Sometimes this leaves an injured party without help. In that case, the seriousness of the violation is worse.
In the Central Valley, there are many industrial and agricultural routes sharing roadways with commuters and residents. California has the highest rate of hit-and-run of any state, and the numbers are growing. Law enforcement cites various factors that may cause this, such as the number of unlicensed drivers, the California car culture and the stiff penalties if caught as incentive to take off after an accident. Central Valley is notorious for traffic, so the chance of being involved in a hit and run accident is a real threat. You don’t want to be on either side of a hit and run, but if you are, you need to know what to do.
Laws Regarding a Hit-and-Run in Central Valley
California Vehicle Code 20002 describes a hit-an-run with property damage as a misdemeanor, while California Vehicle Code 20001 describes a felony hit-an-run charge, which indicates physical injury or death as a result of the accident. Both legal codes can be found here. In order to avoid these charges, those involved in any accident must:
- Stop and make sure all parties are ok. Locate the driver of the other car or the owner of any property damaged and exchange information. If you can’t locate the driver or vehicle or property owner, you must leave a note with your name and address.
- The note should describe what happened.
- Report the incident to the police.
If you are the victim of a hit-and-run, take all the same steps you would in any other accident, but try to get information regarding the fleeing driver asap. Take photos of the offender’s vehicle, if you can. Get their license plate number and look for witnesses. Call 911 for medical help and to call the police to the scene. Get all documentation of the area by taking photos of your vehicle and surrounding accident markers. The more documentation you get, the easier it will be to catch the offender. With all the cell phone cameras around, witnesses may have helped you with that already. Contact your insurance company, but don’t sign anything until you’ve talked to an attorney.
Finally, you’ll need to call your attorney. You certainly don’t want to go through dealing with the expense, frustration and effort it takes to get a hit-and-run sorted out. The compassionate attorneys at the Maison Law Firm will see to it justice is done and you receive due compensation. The sooner you call us, the better chance we have to get your situation under control. Don’t lie down and take it. Call us to schedule your free consultation today.
