A KIA minivan allegedly turned in front of an Audi sedan. This caused the Audi to flip and roll over many times critically injuring its driver. The crash was caught on video. It showed the KIA taking a left turn off of U.S. 41 into the path of the Audi which then swerved attempting to avoid a collision. But the KIA clipped the driver’s side rear quarter panel of the Audi causing it to roll over several times.
The crash happened Thursday morning, February 28, 2019. And, could be seen on from a video captured by a hotel security camera. The crash ejected the driver of the Audi. Consequently, after waiting around for about seven seconds the driver of the KIA took off.
The dramatic video showed the contact between the vehicles and the Audi flipping several times hitting at least two parked cars before coming to a rest on its hood in the parking lot. Police are looking for the driver of a white KIA Sedona, and are asking anyone with information on the incident to call them at (941) 751-8350.
Hit-and-Run Crashes
Hit-and-run crashes are in the increase in the United States while the number of auto crashes per capita has been on the decline in the last decade. According to a study by the American Automobile Association, there were 2,049 hit-and-run fatalities in 2018, a 60 percent increase from 2009 while in the same decade, there was a 10 percent decrease in all vehicle accident fatalities.
There is an average of 682,000 hit-and-run crashes yearly making that one every 14 minutes or 102 a day. Per capita, Florida shares the top spot in hit-and-run fatalities with New Mexico and Louisiana.
Why Do People Leave the Scene?
Although it’s unclear why the driver in the above-mentioned accident left the scene after the crash. People leave the scene of crashes for several reasons:
- Not aware they hit someone: Although this is a common excuse, in some cases it turns out to be true. If the impact is slight enough, and the driver is distracted, he or she might not be aware.
- Impaired: Some drivers fell that getting in trouble for leaving the scene of an accident is less trouble than getting a DUI charge.
- No license/warrant for arrest: Many people run because they are driving without a license or have a warrant for their arrest, and they don’t want to get into further trouble.
Hit-and-Run Fatalities
When a person is a victim of a hit-and-run, their chances of death go up, according to statistics. At first blush this doesn’t seem to make sense as the accident itself doesn’t seem to be any different in a hit-and-run, just that the driver fled.
However, experts give a couple of reasons why there are higher fatalities with a hit-and-run. First, many times, help for the victim is delayed. This happens when no one is around to witness the accident, and the driver flees leaving the victim alone with no help. In many cases, it’s critical the victim receives immediate first aid like when the car is on fire or they have severe bleeding. It the other driver takes off, the victim is unable to receive that critical help.
Second, some hit-and-run drivers have stated that it was the seriousness of the accident that made them leave. They felt that they would be in great trouble, so they simply took off. Although it seems illogically when looking at it from hindsight, experts say that people don’t always act sensibly and logically when they are under great stress.
Hit-and-Run Liability
A person’s auto insurance usually covers the liability of an accident. Yet, an unknown driver can cause problems for the victim. This puts stress on the victim as they try to figure out how they are going to cover their bills. If law enforcement catches the driver, then that driver’s insurance will pay for the damages.
However, the injured have fewer options when they never find the at-fault driver. One thing might be to check their own policy for a “Medpay” or “personal injury policy” (PIP) which will pay the injured person no matter who was at fault. Typically, Medpay will only pay for medical bills, while PIP will pay for medical bills plus a few other losses like lost wages.
However, if the injured person’s insurance doesn’t cover that, then there may not be any coverage available. Some cities or states have victims’ funds that might cover some losses, but this, not a certainty.
Do I need an Attorney?
Always speak to an attorney after any hit-and-run or head-on collision accident resulting in a serious injury.
Involved in a crash similar to this one, contact our personal injury team today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
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