Hit and run accidents are terrible for both parties involved. The victim is hurt, and because the other driver left, he is forced to bear the costs of an accident that was not his fault. The driver who caused the accident and fled is in danger of increasing her punishment by leaving the scene.
Nowadays there are so many surveillance cameras in public places that it is nearly certain law enforcement authorities will find the driver who caused the accident. Fleeing the accident scene doesn’t improve your chances of avoiding prosecution as a hit-and-run driver in Georgia.
After a Georgia traffic accident, you have some legal obligations:
- Stop or return to an accident scene. You must then identify yourself and provide information about your car to the other driver and the police.
- Provide your driver’s license information if the other driver requests it.
- If the other driver is hurt and in clear need of assistance it is your responsibility to provide medical help and transportation to help save the victim.
- Call an EMS and the police if the victim is dead, unconscious, or unable to call for help himself due to a severe injury.
If you leave the scene of an accident or do not follow your legal requirements after an accident, you may be subject to criminal charges. In Georgia, if you flee the scene and the accident causes death or a severe injury, you could be put in jail for one to five years for being guilty of a felony. If the injury is not severe, that punishment may be lowered to a misdemeanor.
You may also have to pay punitive damages to the injured victim. So on top of being charged with a felony, you will have to pay money to the victim in any civil action that the victim chooses to pursue. If you are fleeing the scene because you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol, a hit and run will only increase your charges. It is never in your best interest to flee the scene of an accident.
If you have been involved in a Fulton County hit-and-run accident, you should hire an attorney. Experienced attorneys know how to help you get the best possible outcome in your case. Call us at the Law Offices of Scott Miller today at 770-408-1001 so our traffic violation defense attorney in Georgia can start helping you with your hit-and-run case today.
