The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol is recognizing Hit and Run Awareness Month by reminding drivers to stay at the scene if they’re involved in a collision.
In partnership with the Florida Police Chiefs Association, Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Association of Crime Stoppers, the initiative seeks to reduce the number of hit and run crashes in Florida and encourage individuals to anonymously report information to solve hit and run investigations.
“All motorists involved in a crash have the responsibility to stay at the scene,” said DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes. “Leaving the scene of a crash may be deadly for those who are hit and ensures that the driver will face more severe penalties. Individuals with information on hit and run crashes are encouraged to report any tips anonymously to Crime Stoppers.”
According to figures quoted by DHSMV, a driver leaves the scene in a quarter of all crashes. In 2017, there were 98,225 hit and run crashes in Florida, with 177 fatalities. Florida law requires that a driver stop immediately at the scene of a crash on public or private property that results in injury or death. Leaving the scene of a crash is a felony and a driver, when convicted, will have their license revoked for at least three years and can be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of four years in prison.
The public is encouraged to report hit and run crashes by dialing *FHP (*347). For more information on hit and runs and staying at the scene, visit: flhsmv.gov/stayatthescene
