When you are involved in an accident, the law compels you to stay at the scene. However, some drivers decide to flee the accident scene for reasons better known to themselves. As such, in this article, we discuss some of the most common reasons why drivers might flee after an accident.
What You Should Do After An Accident
The law requires all drivers to stop when they are involved in an accident. However, hit-and-runs are very common as many people flee the accident scene due to various reasons. As stated in this article, it is a criminal offense in Texas to leave the accident scene without reporting it to the police, as this is considered a hit-and-run misdemeanor, or in some cases, a felony. The law compels all drivers involved in an accident to stay there until the law enforcement agents arrive. Different reasons force some drivers to leave the accident scene without making a police report.
The Driver Is Unlicensed
If an unlicensed driver is involved in an accident, they are likely to flee the scene. It is an offense to drive a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license. When the vehicle is not badly damaged, the offender would often decide to flee the scene. Different penalties are associated with driving without a valid license.
Driver Is Under the Influence of Alcohol
Driving a car under the influence of alcohol is an offense. To make matters worse, if you are involved in an accident under the influence of alcohol, there are penalties that you are likely to face. For instance, the offender is liable to pay a fine or they may be banned from driving for a certain period. To avoid such a scenario, the offenders may decide to flee the accident scene.
No Insurance Coverage
When the driver is uninsured or lacks the funds to compensate the injured persons, they can decide to flee the accident scene. A negligent driver is liable to pay full compensation to the victims involved in the accident. They may also be compelled to repair the other vehicle that has been damaged in the accident. However, people who have no means to compensate the victims usually flee.
Driving A Stolen Vehicle
In most cases, criminals driving stolen vehicles will flee the accident scene. If the car is badly damaged, the criminals will just leave it and flee before the arrival of law enforcement agents. In other cases, the people already on a police wanted list to do, not stop when they are involved in accidents. Criminals are always playing hide and seek with the law enforcement agents, so they do not wait for their arrival in case of an accident.
The Driver Does Not Want the Employer to Know
When driving a company vehicle, the driver may be forced to flee from the accident scene because they do not want the employer to know it. If the accident is minor, the driver would rather choose to fix the vehicle through other means apart from the usual route of claiming insurance. Such types of accidents usually happen when the driver is pursuing personal errands which have nothing to do with company business.
The Driver Is an Illegal Immigrant
If the driver is in the country illegally, they will flee from the accident scene for fear of being deported. Many people without valid documentation that allows them to stay in the country often do not want to get into close contact with law enforcement agents. Being in the country illegally is a crime and such people may be at fault when they are involved in accidents. Fleeing remains the only option that can save them from being deported.
Driver Transporting Illegal Goods
If the driver is transporting illegal goods like drugs or stolen property, they will flee from the scene. Cases of drug trafficking are rampant in different states and the offenders are fully aware that they would face the full wrath of the law once caught. Therefore, they do not leave anything to chance, especially if they are involved in an accident. They just leave the car with the consignment at the accident scene and flee and never to be traced.
If you are involved in an accident, you should stay at the scene until the traffic cops arrive. Fleeing the accident scene is a criminal offense, but many people flee due to many reasons. In most cases, the drivers who are at fault are the ones who flee the accident scene in fear of the consequences they are likely to face. There are also other reasons why people may decide not to stop when they are involved in an accident.