Don't Leave the Scene of an Accident!

Sometimes, immediately after an accident, people make a very poor decision. Deciding that they were probably or potentially at fault, they decide to leave the scene of the accident and hope that they are not identified later. These people are almost always caught, due to the increased number of traffic cameras and the ease with which witnesses can recall a simple license plate number. Leaving the scene of an accident is not just a liability; it is also a criminal offense!

Leaving the scene of a crime in most places is a serious crime; in some it is a felony. It can also be construed that someone left an accident to cover up something, such as the fact they had been drinking or something illegal they had in their car. If this is discovered, it is evidence tampering, another felony. A small mistake caused by anxiety and fear could turn what would be a routine accident into a ten year jail sentence!

For example, consider a hypothetical example. A man could be driving home late at night, possibly intoxicated, when he strikes and kills a woman crossing the road. He flees the scene, possibly to hide the fact he had been drinking. By leaving the scene of the crime he demonstrated a willingness to break the law. Not only could this have immediate consequences, it could also used against him later for the other charges which followed.

If you've been involved in any kind of accident: stay put! The odds of you successfully escaping are incredibly low. Even if you are fearful because of immigration status or some other legal issue, you will most likely face more scrutiny and consequences if you run than if you had just stayed. For the most part, police attending the scene of a crime are looking to determine some measure of fault (to include intoxication of either driver) and record the situation. They are not there to investigate immigration issues or in most cases anything inside the car.

If you have been involved in an accident, it is important that you contact an accident attorney immediately. An accident lawyer will often times go to the scene and point out details which the police should record. They can also review the accident post-event for issues which may affect the liability situation; specifically, whose insurance is responsible. This will have a significant financial impact on you, as it will affect your premiums and driving record.