In Florida, all drivers are aware that they need to stop at the scene of an accident in order to render assistance and in order to exchange insurance information and contact information with any other drivers involved in the accident. Hit and run Miami car accidents are a serious offence, and any driver found guilty of this criminal offence can face serious penalties. Despite the penalties, however, hit and run Florida traffic accidents continue to be a serious problem. In fact, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Miami-Dade County and Broward County had the most hit-and-runs of any Florida county in 2008.
There are many reasons why people leave the scene of an accident. In some cases, drivers panic or are fearful of being accused of causing the accident. In other cases, drivers are already doing something illegal – such as driving without a license or insurance or driving under the influence – and do not want to be caught. It can be especially difficult when the person who leaves the scene of an accident is a commercial truck driver. There are many reasons why hit and run Miami truck accidents are especially challenging:
1) Trucks may sustain fewer damages in an accident. A collision between a car and a truck usually results in severe damages for the car, but the truck driver and the truck are less likely to be severely affected. This can make it easier for a truck to drive away and to not even show much damage on the truck itself.
2) Truck drivers may not be from the area, the state, or even the country, making them harder to find. Finding a truck driver who has fled the scene of an accident can be very challenging because truck drivers drive very long distances every day and may be from a different region, making them difficult to find, especially if the victim does not notice the license plate number or other details of the truck.
3) Truck drivers may share a truck with other drivers or may rent a truck from another company. One thing that can make it even more challenging to find the specific driver involved is that some carriers rent trucks or share trucks among drivers. Even if the truck itself is located, it can require even more investigative work to find the actual driver involved.
4) A truck driver involved in a hit and run Miami truck accident may be driving a load owned by one company in a truck owned by another company and may be hired by a third party. For all these reasons, it can be very difficult to determine liability in a hit and run accident. Usually, it takes a qualified Miami truck accident attorney to evaluate liability in these cases.
Most commercial truck drivers remain on the scene of an accident and try to help. However, in a hit and run accident involving a truck, victims can be left without recourse and assistance. In these cases, it can be important to consult with a qualified Miami personal injury attorney in order to locate the driver and determine liability in the accident.
If you have been involved in a Miami hit and run, contact the Flaxman Law Group at once. The Flaxman Law Group works with private investigators and accident reconstruction professionals who can help search for the driver involved. The Flaxman Law Group can also arrange a free accident consultation for you with an experienced Miami truck accident attorney.