It is a sad fact, but the number of deaths due to hit and run accidents has been on the rise over the last decade. In fact, the 2,046 recorded deaths due to hit and runs in 2016, which is the most current statistic, was the highest since the government started tracking this number in 1975.
It also represented a 35 percent increase in deaths since 2012 and a 60 percent increase in deaths since 2009. The vast majority of these victims, over two-thirds, were pedestrians or bicyclists.
These numbers themselves are concerning, but experts do not agree on what factors are contributing to the surge in hit-and-run fatalities. Some even think that the increase is simply a function of there being more cars on the road in areas where pedestrians and cyclists are also likely to frequent.
What is perhaps more alarming is how few hit-and-run drivers actually get tracked down and brought to justice. Overall, only 1 percent of all drivers who leave the scene of an accident get caught later. While that number is considerably higher when someone died as a result of a hit-and-run, even then, 2 out 3 drivers are never found.
What this means is that if someone in the Tampa area is involved in an auto-pedestrian accident with a driver who chooses to flee the scene, he or she is likely going to need to explore other legal options for getting compensation. These other options may entail filing a claim with one’s own insurance company, although whether this is allowed will depend on what sort of insurance coverage the victim had in the first place. To file such a claim, it is often advisable to have the help of an experienced Florida personal injury attorney.
