What Should I Do After a Hit and Run?

Hit and run collisions are very serious. In addition to injury, hit and runs can cause enormous trouble and uncertainly for the victim. Coping with injury and recovery is hard enough without the added difficulties related to an unknown at-fault driver who has committed a crime by failing to remain at the scene of the accident.

If you are the victim of a hit and run, there are a few things you should do right away:

• First and foremost, get medical attention. If anyone is hurt, call 911.
• Capture details while they are fresh in your mind. Jot down or use your memo or audio recorder on your phone to note as much as you can. This includes as many of the following as possible:
  • Details of where the hit took place, what time, what direction you and the other vehicle were going or went
  • Description of the other vehicle (license plate, make, model, colour) and any damage to their vehicle
  • Description of the other driver
  • Photos of the accident scene and damage to your vehicle
• Look for witnesses who witnessed the accident, and note their names and phone numbers
• Check for security cameras nearby that may have captured the collision

Should I call the police?

Absolutely. Make a police report or report to a collision reporting centre within 24 hours. There are a couple of reasons this is so important.

First, leaving the scene of an accident is against the law, so the other driver could be charged and fined under the federal Criminal Code or the provincial Highway Traffic Act.

Second, most insurers require that hit and run damage is reported to police within a 24 hours or a another specified time frame to be considered a hit and run.

What compensation is available?

Your insurer will cover you and your passengers, so be sure to notify your auto insurance company as soon as possible. Uninsured Automobile Coverage is a part of the standard auto insurance policy that all Ontario vehicle owners are required to have.

If you’re a pedestrian or cyclist and the driver who hit you can’t be identified, you can apply to the Ontario Motor Vehicle Accident Claim Fund.

If you’ve been involved in a hit and run, an experienced personal injury lawyer can help expedite this process and ensure you get the compensation you need and are entitled to. Please contact us today so that we can assist you.