If you are fortunate, you will go throughout your driving years without ever being in a hit and run accident.
That said there is always the chance you will be a victim. In fact, it could happen more than once.
So, what steps must you take when it turns out you are the victim of a hit and run?
Don’t Let Such an Accident Change Your Life
When you are at the wrong end of a hit and run, here are three keys to think about:
- Don’t take health for granted – Have either a medical pro at the scene or one at a hospital or urgent care examine you. Even when you think you are fine, you may have injuries that do not pop up right away. Remember, your vehicle can always be replaced if necessary but you can’t. Taking the short amount of time to get checked out will be worth it.
- Finding the perpetrator – One of the first things you are likely thinking about is who hit you and where did they go. That being the case, you do have some resources available to you. For instance, if in New York State and hit by one with state tags, you can go online and research their license plate. The hope is you got a license plate to track in the first place. If you did, you can proceed with a NYS license plate lookup. Keep in mind that doing a license plate lookup can lead you to the vehicle and its driver if everything falls into place. You also want to see if there were any eyewitnesses to the accident. It could be another driver in the area or a pedestrian. If you are fortunate enough to have someone stop and check on you, see if they saw anything. Also find out if there are any video cameras in the area when it comes to local businesses. They may have been able to catch something if they are recording outside their business.
- Will your vehicle make it through? – Depending on how fast the driver was going and what part of your vehicle was hit, your auto may or may not have made it. If the latter, you will have to decide if you are going to get another vehicle or rely on other means to get around. In the event you decide to get another auto, be sure to do some research online. That is of the different makes and models and their safety records. Finding the safest vehicle out there will give you a little more peace of mind moving ahead on the roads.
Try to Avoid Trauma Moving Ahead
It goes without saying that being the victim of a hit and run accident can be quite traumatizing.
That said there is a good chance you need a vehicle to get around. This can be for work, appointments, and errands and so on.
As such, try and convince yourself that driving is not the worst thing in the world.
By regaining your confidence out on the roads, you can get to where you need to go.