Most motorists in Rhode Island should make every reasonable attempt to avoid causing collisions. Keeping their vehicles properly maintained, adhering to safety rules and monitoring traffic are all basic requirements for modern drivers. Of course, there are some people who are more diligent in their efforts to remain safe in traffic than others. People never know when they might cross paths with someone who habitually breaks traffic regulations.
Someone who doesn’t follow the speed limit, doesn’t stop at an intersection or doesn’t use their turn signals to communicate with others in traffic could cause a crash that not only damages the vehicle but could potentially put someone in the hospital. Despite clear requirements to stop after involvement in a crash, some people keep on driving. Hit-and-run collisions can be a major challenge for those involved.
People don’t always stop when they should
The law in Rhode Island requires that those involved in collisions stop after involvement in a crash that could have injured other people or caused significant property damage. However, if someone already recognizes that they caused a crash, their first priority might be avoiding responsibility for the incident rather than complying with the law. Drivers without licenses, those engaged in highly-illegal activity, like drunk driving, and those without insurance are among the motorists most likely to flee the scene of a crash. Police officers respond to numerous hit-and-run crashes in any given month, many of which could have resulted in injury and death.
What happens after a hit-and-run?
Anyone affected by a hit-and-run crash can expect the police to investigate. The state can potentially use traffic camera footage and other evidence to identify the party at fault for the collision. Successfully identifying a hit-and-run motorist allows for their prosecution. The other people affected by the crash then have the option of filing an insurance claim or possibly a personal injury lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver. Those affected by a hit-and-run crash may find it difficult to secure a reasonable outcome on their own.
Securing help while dealing with the aftermath of a hit-and-run crash can be beneficial. Those negatively affected by the poor choices of others in traffic may need assistance handling insurance matters or navigating the civil courts in order to seek the justice that they’re due.