A resident of our city was struck by a vehicle and left to die. The driver did not stop long enough to provide any assistance to the woman they hit. Tragically, she died at the scene. This is truly unfortunate. This mother had three children who were not prepared for the sudden loss of their mother. As they now arrange for her burial, there is no fund or anyone to truly guide them through life without her.
My heart aches when I consider this injustice. There were no witnesses, no vehicle identified, no compensation, and no way to restore the life of the deceased mother or support for her surviving children. As a community, we have the chance to assist and encourage the children. We can help with funeral costs and offer words of encouragement and hope. We need to do more than just watch the tragedy on the news and remain inactive. We must take action and extend our support to this family.
According to an article by AAA Newsroom, over 680,000 hit-and-run deaths occur annually.
Read the full article at Hit-and-Run Deaths Hit Record High | AAA Newsroom. The article also notes that nearly 65 percent of those killed in hit-and-run incidents were pedestrians or bicyclists.
Hit-and-run fatalities in the U.S. have risen by an average of 7.2 percent each year since 2009.
The article further mentions, "It is every driver’s legal and moral duty to take necessary measures to avoid hitting a pedestrian, bicyclist, or another vehicle,” said Jennifer Ryan, director of state relations for AAA. “While no one wants to be involved in a crash, fleeing the scene will significantly increase penalties for drivers, regardless of whether they caused the crash.”
Currently, all states have laws making it illegal for drivers involved in a crash to leave the scene. State penalties vary based on the type of crash (e.g., property damage, injury, serious injury, or fatality). If found guilty, drivers may face hefty fines, lose their licenses, or serve time in prison. AAA urges drivers to educate themselves about specific hit-and-run laws in their state and stay vigilant on the road to prevent crashes.
If a driver is involved in a crash, they should never leave the scene and follow these steps:
Assist the injured– Check for injured individuals and call 911.
Be visible– Ensure the scene is visible to oncoming drivers. If possible, move vehicles out of traffic, and use hazard flashers, flares, and reflective triangles. Stay in a safe place until emergency services arrive, if necessary.
Communicate– Contact the police and file a report. If the police do not arrive at the scene, you can file a report by visiting a local police department or your automobile.
Ultimately, more efforts are required to deliver justice to families who have suffered the injustice of losing a loved one in a hit-and-run accident. How can we create new rules and procedures that incorporate policies to provide restitution to these families? Could solutions include installing more cameras on bridges and streets to identify vehicles and individuals? Our community holds the answers. We must not remain silent and inactive. We must advocate for justice and community healing.
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