Texas Truck Wreck Attorney Blog

On March 23 a child abruptly and without forethought ran into a suburban Houston street as well as the path of an oncoming car. As several parents looked on in horror the little girl was struck by an automobile.

The woman driver stepped out of the car and seemed to check on the condition of the eight year old. Then she said to no one in particular something to the effect that it wasn't her fault, got back in her car and left. The child was rushed by ambulance to the hospital where she died the next day.

This scene is played over and over in cities across America. National statistics place the number of hit and run accidents each year at 11% of all motor vehicle collisions. In numbers this equals about 700,000 incidences where a driver has left the scene of the crime.

Hit and run is the crime of colliding with a person, their personal property (including their motor vehicle), or a fixture and failing to stop and identify oneself. In many jurisdictions a driver is legally obligated to stop and exchange information and summon emergency services. In addition, the driver is required to remain at the scene until police arrive.

Hit and run perpetrators face a variety of consequences including the suspension and cancellation of one's driving privileges and even imprisonment. Lifetime revocation of a driver's license is also a possibility. In addition, increased insurance costs, compensatory fines and punitive fines can be imposed.

Finally, if caught the driver may also incur DMV points on their license.

Last September 19, two separate hit and run accidents occurred. On April 1 a 33 year old man was struck and killed by a hit and run driver. The list goes on and on.

Perhaps the most unfortunate part of this story is that the police in Texas say there are not enough officers to investigate all the accidents as fully as need be.