You just are on your everyday commute home from work, ready for the weekend. It’s your turn to drive in your work carpool, but as you are about to exit off the freeway, another driver doesn’t slow down and sideswipes your vehicle. It happens in a flash, and, much to your surprise, the other driver never even slows down, much less stops. What do you do now?
According to AAA, more than one hit-and-run accident happens every minute on U.S. roads. If you find yourself a victim of a hit and run, you need to take the following steps:
- Check yourself and other passengers for injuries and call 911 for help.
- Find out if there are any witnesses who saw the crash.
- Write down anything you, your passengers or witnesses can remember about the crash, such as the other vehicle’s make and model, its license plate number or what direction the driver went.
- Fill out an accident report with the police, giving a description of the vehicle that hit you and the circumstances of the crash.
- Take photos of the accident scene and damage to your vehicle with your cell phone.
- Report the accident to your insurance company.
Leaving the scene of an auto accident is a crime. It can be a felony if someone is injured seriously in the crash. If you never find out who the other driver was, your damage and injury claim will have to go through your auto insurance. Hopefully, you have purchased uninsured/underinsured (UM/UIM) coverage. Adding this coverage to your own auto policy is inexpensive, and is the most important coverage you can have on your family’s vehicles. Call you auto insurance agent today and ensure you have this coverage – before you need it.
If you were seriously injured, you may want to seek the help of an experienced personal injury attorney. Insurance companies often want to settle for the lowest amount possible and you may find it difficult to cover costs of a long-lasting accident injury or recovery. You may be eligible for more compensation than you realize.
Connect with us
