Florida hit-and-run crashes increase by 40% over last decade: Data

Over the last decade, hit-and-run crashes have increased by 40% in Florida, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).

Each February, FLHSMV does a hit-and-run awareness campaign with its public safety partners.

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"Nearly 100,000 times, literally every year over the past several years, we've had an individual get involved in a crash, whether that's property damage, injury or death, and then just leave and have no accountability," Lieutenant Greg Bueno with the Florida Highway Patrol said.

By the numbers:

According to data from FLHSMV, year to year the number of hit-and-run crashes has stayed steady. About 25% of all crashes involve a hit-and-run. 

More than one million hit-and-run crashes have happened in Florida between 2015 and last year, causing 2,400 deaths.

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"If the rationale behind the leaving is, ‘I was scared,’ or, ‘it was dark,’ or, ‘I didn't know what I hit,’ or even worse, someone's impaired, or the license is not valid, or their insurance is not valid, none of those are acceptable excuses," Bueno said. 

What could happen:

It’s against the law in Florida to leave the scene of a crash. If a driver does, it comes with severe penalties, including fines, jail or prison time, and revocation of a license. If the crash involves property damage, leaving the scene is a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. 

If it’s a crash with injuries, it’s a second or third-degree felony. A driver could also have his or her license revoked for at least three years and could be sentenced to up to five years in prison with a $5,000 fine.

Leaving the scene of a crash with a fatality is punishable with up to 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. 

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"You want to do everything in your power to avoid being in a crash, abide by the speed limit and put your phones down. Drive sober. But, in the event you make a mistake, stay," Bueno said. "Potentially you may not even be at fault in the crash. Potentially you may just get a ticket, but one thing I can assure you, if you leave the scene, we're going to criminally charge you."

Dig deeper:

FLHSMV said most hit-and-runs involve property, like hitting a parked car, a mailbox or a fence. More than 200 people have died on Florida roads, though, every year since 2018 as a result of hit-and-runs. The highest number of fatalities involved pedestrians and cyclists. 

"Where we need help as a law enforcement agency, as a state, is for our families to engage in dinner table conversations," Bueno said. "Hold each other accountable. A lot of times when we are uncovering the hit-and-run cover up, if you will, other family members are well aware of what's going on, or, ‘my goodness, why isn't he driving that car anymore.’ Hold each other accountable."

FLHSMV said more than 90% of hit-and-run crashes happen in clear weather. More than 60% happen during the day.

What you can do:

If you have information on a hit-and-run crash, you can report it by calling *FHP (*347) or report it anonymously to Florida Crime Stoppers by calling **TIPS (**8477) or through the Florida Crime Stoppers phone app.

The Source: The information in this story was provided via data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles as well as through an interview with the Florida Highway Patrol. 

FloridaCrime and Public Safety