Picture this: you’re driving home after a long day of work in Toronto, and bam! Someone hit your car with their car. The moments after a car accident can be frightening, painful and confusing, and you may think you’re imagining something when you see another car driving away from the scene of the accident. Now you have become a victim of a traffic accident and you should contact a lawyer accident carŅ
While some drivers know what to do after a vehicle collision, many do not know how to proceed in a hit-and-run case. In this post, we will discuss the best ways to cope with this type of traumatic incident and how the assistance of an experienced hit-and-run lawyer can help ensure a positive outcome to your traumatic ordeal. Knowing what to do when a hit-and-run driver leaves the scene can help protect you and provide police with more information to catch him.
While some drivers know what to do after a vehicle collision, many do not know how to proceed in a hit-and-run case. In this post, we will discuss the best ways to cope with this type of traumatic incident and how the assistance of an experienced lawyer for car accident can help ensure a positive outcome to your traumatic ordeal. Knowing what to do when a hit-and-run driver leaves the scene can help protect you and provide police with more information to catch him.
Why do hit and run accidents happen?
A hit-and-run is a traffic accident in which two or more vehicles collide and at least one driver leaves the scene.Why do drivers leave the scene of an accident? There can be many reasons:
- They are embarrassed or worried that they caused an accident.
- They drive without insurance
- They may have an expired license, a suspended license, or no driver’s license at all.
- They were drunk and are afraid to drive while intoxicated.
- They are rushing somewhere (reporting an emergency) and did not have time to stop.
Leaving the scene of a car accident is a crime, no matter how good the reasons may be. The consequences depend on the severity of the accident and can include large fines and even jail time. Anyone caught leaving the scene of an accident involving a vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian may be charged under Ontario law and the Criminal Code of Canada. Our car accident claim lawyers will help you in such situations.
I was involved in a hit and run accident. What should I do next?
If you notice a vehicle leaving the scene, try to write down as much information as possible about the vehicle and the driver. Take a photo or video with your phone, or remember key details such as the make, model or license plate number.
Next, call the police and emergency services. Tell the dispatcher that you have been involved in an accident and provide any information you remember about the vehicle. They may have emergency responders respond to the scene and gather information for an official accident report, provide medical attention to you, and direct other officers to search for the vehicle that hit you.
Before the police arrive, gather all the witness statements and contact information you can. Sometimes witnesses may not wait for the police to arrive, so it is important that you get the information that the police will have to follow and catch the other vehicle. Take note of any businesses that may have cameras – they may have captured the accident.
The Importance of a Police Report After an Accident
Even if you don’t feel pain or your car isn’t seriously damaged, you should always file a police report after a car accident. Ontario law requires that car accidents be reported to the police. And the person who hit you should be charged with a crime. If your car was parked and you noticed someone hit it and drove away, you should still file a police report at your local collision reporting center, providing photos of the damage
After a collision, your collision insurance should cover damage to the vehicle and your medical expenses, depending on your policy. But your insurance company will likely require a police report to support your accident insurance claim.
Finally, call an experienced Ontario car accident lawyer to review your case. If someone else causes the accident, they are responsible for paying for your medical expenses and paying for repairs or replacement of the damaged vehicle.
