Hit-And-Run Accidents Plague Florida and FHP is Working to Find a Solution

ALACHUA COUNTY, FL- Alligator.org writes that a hit-and-run awareness month is prompting police to look into these horrific and tragic crashes that are disturbingly common in Florida. At a recent press conference, the mother of a fourteen-year-old girl who was killed in a hit-and-run crash last fall spoke about the need for drivers to stay at the scene. The victim’s mother stated that she collapsed while grocery shopping this week when the cashier’s name was the same as her recently deceased daughter’s. Sadly, the grieving mother’s story is not unique.*

The number of hit-and-run crashes that take place in Florida continues to rise. In 2019, 105,000 hit-and-run incidents were reported, and in 206 of those crashes, a person died. Police created flyers to promote the #StayAtTheSceneFL campaign. The penalties for various types of hit-and-run incidents were printed onto the flyers and distributed to the public. Despite awareness efforts, these crashes continue to take place on the road throughout the Sunshine State. 

Four people died in hit-and-run crashes in January in Alachua County. Police reminded motorists that fleeing the scene of a crash will only make the penalties far worse once the driver is apprehended. 

The fourteen-year-old girl’s father spoke out, expressing thanks to the officers who identified the man who killed his daughter. The driver was located eight days after the deadly incident. 

Police stated that they work diligently to find the suspects in these incidents. Hit-and-run crashes destroy lives, and drivers who cause a crash are morally and legally obligated to take responsibility and stop to render aid. In some instances, failing to do so can result in a person dying when they might have survived with prompt medical care. 

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Source:https://www.alligator.org/news/florida-highway-patrol-discusses-hit-and-runs/article_8b71520a-56dc-11ea-ac10-63c867bbd412.html