Nobody starts off their day planning to get into a car accident, but sometimes the inevitable occurs. Dealing with a car accident is frustrating enough on its own, but if you are watching the other person involved in the accident speeding away from the scene it takes an entirely different turn.
However, there are some decisive actions you can take in the face of a hit-and-run accident. According to State Farm Insurance, you absolutely must stay at the scene of the accident yourself and you should start talking with eyewitnesses.
Why should I stay at the scene?
It is important to stay at the scene because if both cars drive off after each other in the aftermath of an accident, any eyewitnesses will not be able to tell who was at fault in the crash. It is better to stay at the scene.
Your initial actions should be similar to what you would do in a regular accident if the other driver stayed around. Make sure to move your car out of the path of traffic if necessary and start documenting the accident. If nobody has sustained an injury, call the local non-emergency police number to file a police report.
Can the eyewitnesses help me?
Yes, talking to the eyewitnesses at the scene of the crime can help you a lot. For instance, it is possible that one of the eyewitnesses got video or photo coverage of the culprit. Having a picture of a license plate is particularly helpful because then the police will easily be able to track the culprit down.
