There are various laws regulating traffic. Arizona has rules regarding how people operate their vehicles, what it takes to obtain a driver’s license and what kind of insurance drivers need to carry. Ideally, the regulations governing motor vehicle travel help limit the risk of a collision.
Unfortunately, crashes still occur daily in the greater Yuma area. When a crash involves injury to a person or significant property damage, state law mandates reporting the incident to local law enforcement. Despite that rule, some drivers try to flee the scene of a crash.
What happens after a hit-and-run collision where an at-fault driver leaves instead of assisting with the police report?
The other party must file the report
As frustrating and inconvenient as it can be to be the only person waiting for the police after a crash, complying with the law is the best choice. The person not at fault for a hit-and-run crash can communicate with law enforcement about the incident and request an investigation. The more details they have about the other vehicle or its driver, the better the chances of a favorable restitution to the matter.
Police officers can look at traffic camera footage and other evidence to identify the hit-and-run driver. The report that police officers put together can also facilitate an insurance claim if the person who isn’t to blame for the wreck has uninsured motorist protection or other forms of supplemental coverage.
If the police manage to identify the driver who caused the crash, there are other opportunities for compensation as well. The party not at fault can pursue a liability insurance claim against the driver who didn’t stop after the crash.
They might even be able to file a personal injury lawsuit. Lawsuits are often necessary after hit-and-run crashes, as a lack of insurance coverage is one of the more common reasons that people speed off instead of cooperating with a police report after a collision.
Knowing how to react to a hit-and-run crash can help people limit their financial losses. Drivers who have the right insurance coverage and who know what steps to take have the strongest possible protection when another driver violates Arizona traffic laws.