The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in 2020, there were 2,564 fatalities in crashes involving hit-and-run drivers. What are the penalties for hit-and-runs?Ĭollisions where drivers flee the scene run the gamut - minor incidents such as clipping a side mirror or leaving a dent in a car fender, as well as severe crashes involving multiple vehicles and fatalities. Criminal penalties can be involved if the hit-and-run collision results in injuries, property damage, and especially fatalities. In most states, fleeing the scene of an accident you were involved in without providing your contact information can qualify as a hit-and-run, regardless of fault or severity of the incident. Offer assistance to any person injured as a result of the collision Nolo, the nonprofit legal aid website, defines a hit-and-run as a failure to do the following:

A hit-and-run is a colloquial term, and every state has its own laws surrounding who is responsible for stopping during an accident.