Page 23 - AAA Magazine – AAA Ohio Auto Club – September 2018

Hit-and-Run Deaths Hit Record High
More than one hit-and-run crash occurs every minute on U.S. roads, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These crashes resulted in 2,049 deaths in 2016 – the highest number on record and a 60 percent increase from 2009. With the number of hit-and-run crashes on the rise, AAA
is calling for drivers to remain alert on the roads, and always remain on the scene if a crash occurs.
AAA Foundation researchers examined common characteristics of hit-and-run crashes and found that during the 10-year study period:
• An average of 682,000 hit-and-run crashes occurred
each year since 2006, and that number is rising. • Hit-and-run deaths in the U.S. have increased an
average of 7.2 percent each year since 2009.
“Hit-and-run crashes in the United States are trending in the wrong direction,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our analysis shows that hit-and-run crashes are a growing traffic safety challenge, and the AAA Foundation would like to work with stakeholders to help curtail this problem.”
The report found most victims (65 percent) of fatal hit-and-run crashes are pedestrians. During the 10-year study period, hit-and-run crashes caused nearly
20 percent of all pedestrian deaths, compared to
just 1 percent of all driver fatalities.
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 traffic at any point.
• Be cautious: Look out for small children and be
alert to areas where pedestrians frequent. These include school zones, playgrounds, bus stops and intersections.
• Be patient: When trying to pass pedestrians or cyclists, give them at least three feet of clearance 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.
“It is every driver’s legal and moral responsibility
to take necessary precautions to avoid hitting a pedestrian, bicyclist or other vehicle,” said Jennifer Ryan, director of state relations for AAA. “While no one likes being involved in a crash, leaving the scene will significantly increase the penalties for drivers – whether they caused the crash or not.”
Fleeing the scene of a crash is illegal in every state. In Ohio, motorists involved in a crash must remain on the scene, notify police and provide appropriate information. Failure to do so may result in up to a six-month license suspension. The state considers hit-and-run crashes that result in property damage a first-degree misdemeanor and fatal hit-and-run crashes a third-degree felony.
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