Hit and run crashes have killed more than 2,000 people in 2016, which equates to more than one such crash every minute on U.S. roads, reports a new study by the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety.
These types of crashes are the highest number on record and a 60 percent increase since 2009.
— This article is an announcement from AAA Northeast
With the number of hit-and-run crashes on the rise, AAA is calling for drivers to be alert on the road to avoid a deadly crash and remain on the scene if a crash occurs.
In the study, AAA researchers found:
- An average of 682,000 hit-and-run crashes occurred annually since 2006.
- Nearly 65 percent of people killed in hit-and-run crashes were pedestrians or bicyclists.
- Hit-and-run deaths in the U.S. have increased an average of 7.2 percent each year since 2009.
- New Mexico, Louisiana and Florida have the highest rate of fatal hit-and-run crashes on a per-capita basis while New Hampshire, Maine and Minnesota have the lowest rates.
The Foundation study also reports from 2006 to 2016, there were 148 hit-and-run crashes involving at least one fatality in Connecticut. There also appeared to be a spike in fatalities from 2015 where there were 14 incidents compared to 2016 where there were 24 such incidents. Over a six-year span, it was determined more than half of the fatal crashes in Connecticut generally occurred overnight, primarily on weekends, in the Fall.
“Hit-and-run crashes in the United States are trending in the wrong direction, especially in CT,” said Fran Mayko, AAA Northeast spokesman. “The analysis shows such crashes are a growing traffic safety challenge and the AAA Foundation wants to work with all stakeholders to help curtail this problem.”
In all states, it’s the drivers legal and moral responsibility to avoid hitting pedestrians, bicyclists, or another vehicle; and leaving a crash scene significantly increases the penalties, whether or not the driver caused the crash.
In the US, state laws make it illegal for drivers involved in crashes to flee the scene. Penalties vary depending upon crash type and guilty parties may face large fines, lose their license or spend time in prison.
In Connecticut, drivers who hit a vulnerable user is required to stop, remain on the scene, render aid if necessary, and notify law enforcement.
To decrease the chances of being involved in a crash with a pedestrian or bicyclist, drivers should:
- Be aware: Pedestrians may act unpredictably and walk into the path of travel at any point.
- Be cautious: Look out for small children and be alert to areas where there are likely to be more pedestrians such as school zones, playgrounds, bus stops and intersections.
- Be patient: When trying to pass a pedestrian or cyclist, give plenty of space and keep them in your line of sight.
- Be vigilant: Drivers should always yield to pedestrians, even if they walk into the road from an area other than a crosswalk. Be aware when backing out of parking spaces for vulnerable users walking behind your vehicle.
See also: AAA advice on what to do if you’re in a motor vehicle collision