Being in a motor vehicle accident is bad enough. There are things though that could make this terrifying experience even worse for a person. One is if the vehicle that hit him or her then speeds off.
Unfortunately, such incidents have been increasing in number here in Austin in recent years. There were 1,201 hit-and-run accidents reported in Austin in 2010. In 2017, the number of such crashes reported was 1,680. This is a 40 percent increase.
An even more marked increase was seen in hit-and-run accidents involving pedestrians. In 2017, there were 76 percent more such crashes here in Austin than there were in 2010.
Hit-and-run accidents can result in very serious injuries, particularly when the person hit is a bicyclist or a pedestrian.
What can a person do if he or she is the victim of a hit-and-run? Well, one thing it can be important for individuals to do, if they are in a position to do so, is to look for and take down the license plate number of the departing vehicle. This could greatly help authorities with identifying who was driving this vehicle. Such identification can be important on many fronts, including in matters related to compensation.
Hit-and-run victims may also find it helpful to seek out legal guidance after their crash. Compensation issues can get particularly complex when it comes to these types of accidents. Skilled personal injury attorneys can help Austin-area hit-and-run victims understand what routes could be available to them to secure fair compensation.