In 2021, there were more than 108,000 hit-and-run crashes in Florida. Of those, there were more than 24,000 injuries resulting from these hit-and-run crashes, with over 1,200 of those involving serious bodily injury. In addition, there were 306 hit-and-run fatalities, more than 20% being pedestrians. Approximately 1 out of every 4 car crashes is a hit-and-run. In Volusia and Flagler Counties, there were 3,174 hit-and-run crashes; 8 fatalities and 828 injuries*.

Leaving the scene of a crash is a crime. You must stop immediately at the scene of a crash on public or private property which results in property damage, injury, or death. The penalties for hit-and-run drivers changed on July 1, 2014 when the Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act (Section 316.027, Florida) was signed into Florida law. The statute is named after Aaron Cohen, a 31-year-old avid cyclist and father of two that was fatally struck by an alcohol impaired driver that fled the crash scene in February 2012 in south Florida. The hit-and-run driver was sentenced to two years in prison, a lesser sentence than what the motorist would have served had he been sentenced on a DUI manslaughter charge. The Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act imposes a mandatory minimum of four years for a driver convicted of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in a fatality.

If you are involved in a hit-and-run crash there some important things you should do:

  1. Collect as much information as possible about the vehicle: license plate number, car make and model, color, age and the part of the vehicle that hit yours
  2. Call the police: request to file a report and provide as many details as possible
  3. Talk to any witnesses: ask for their name and information
  4. Don’t leave the scene of the crash
  5. Call your insurance company

*Data pulled from FLHSMV Crash Dashboard; for more information, visit: FLHSMV Crash Dashboard

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