Hit and Run: What to Do Next

Watching the driver who just hit you speed away is shocking. On top of the fear and pain of the crash itself, you are left with anger and a sinking question: who is going to pay for this?

Take a breath. A hit-and-run does not mean you are out of options. Drivers are found more often than people expect, and even when they are not, your own insurance may provide a path to compensation.

What you do in the next few minutes and days matters a great deal. Here is exactly what to do, step by step.

Do Not Chase the Other Driver

Your first instinct may be to follow them. Don’t. Chasing a fleeing driver can cause a second crash, put bystanders at risk, and take you away from the scene, which can create problems of its own.

Let the police do the chasing. Your job is to stay at the scene, protect your health, and start building your case.

Get Safe and Call the Police Immediately

Check yourself and your passengers for injuries. If your car is drivable, move it out of traffic and turn on your hazard lights. Then call 911 right away, even if you feel okay and the damage looks minor.

Calling immediately matters for three reasons. First, officers may be able to locate the fleeing vehicle while it is still nearby. Second, leaving the scene of an accident is a crime everywhere in the United States, and a police report documents that a crime occurred. Third, insurers handling hit-and-run claims almost always expect a prompt police report, and many policies require one.

When officers arrive, give them everything you observed and ask how to get a copy of the report. Write down the report number and the officers’ names.

Write Down Everything You Remember, Right Now

Memory fades fast, especially after the shock of a crash. Before details slip away, record everything you can about the fleeing vehicle, even fragments. Use your phone’s voice memo or notes app.

Try to capture:

Any part of the license plate, even two or three characters, and the state if you saw it
The vehicle’s make, model, body style, and color
Distinctive details: damage, bumper stickers, roof racks, tinted windows, loud exhaust
A description of the driver and any passengers
The direction the vehicle fled and the exact time and location
What the vehicle was doing before impact, such as speeding or drifting between lanes

A partial plate combined with a vehicle description can significantly narrow the search. Small details you think are trivial can be the piece that identifies the driver.

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Find Witnesses and Cameras

Look around before people leave. Ask anyone nearby whether they saw the crash or the fleeing vehicle, and get their names and phone numbers. A witness may have caught details you missed or captured photos or video on their phone.

Then think about cameras. Modern streets are full of them:

Your own dashcam, or dashcams in other vehicles at the scene
Security cameras on nearby businesses, gas stations, and ATMs
Doorbell and home security cameras on residential streets
Traffic and intersection cameras operated by the city or state

Camera footage is often overwritten within days, sometimes sooner. Note the locations of any cameras you see and tell the police about them. A lawyer can send preservation letters quickly so footage is saved before it is erased.

Also photograph everything at the scene: your vehicle damage, paint transfer, debris such as broken pieces of the other vehicle’s lights or trim, skid marks, and your injuries. Debris can help identify the make and model of the fleeing car.

How You Get Paid: Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Here is the practical reality. If the driver is never identified, there is no at-fault insurer to bill. That is why, in most hit-and-run cases, the usual path to compensation is your own uninsured motorist (UM) coverage.

In most states, UM coverage treats a hit-and-run driver like an uninsured driver. It can pay for your injuries, and in some states or policies, uninsured motorist property damage coverage can help with your car. Collision coverage can also repair your vehicle, subject to your deductible. Medical payments coverage or personal injury protection, where available, can help with early medical bills.

A few important cautions. Coverage terms vary by state and by policy, and some policies require physical contact with the other vehicle or other proof for a hit-and-run UM claim. Policies also commonly require prompt reporting to both the police and the insurer. Read your policy and report quickly, because even your own insurer will evaluate the claim carefully.

If the driver is later identified, you can also bring a claim against them and their insurer directly.

You May Have Rights as a Crime Victim

A hit-and-run is not just an accident. It is a crime. If the driver is caught and prosecuted, the court may order restitution, which is payment to you for certain losses, as part of the criminal case.

Many states also operate crime victim compensation programs that can help with expenses such as medical bills in qualifying cases. Eligibility rules, covered losses, and application deadlines vary by state, so check your state’s program. Cooperating with the police and keeping thorough records helps with both.

Watch the Deadlines

Several clocks start running the moment the crash happens. Your policy likely requires prompt notice to your insurer, and hit-and-run claims often carry specific police-reporting requirements. Separately, every state has a statute of limitations for injury lawsuits, often two or three years, but it varies, and some policies set their own time limits for UM claims.

Do not let a strong claim die on a technicality. Report promptly, and check the rules in your state early.

How a Lawyer Helps Track Down the Driver

Hit-and-run drivers are found through persistence, and lawyers add pressure and resources that busy police departments cannot always provide. An experienced attorney can canvass for camera footage and send preservation letters before video is erased, interview witnesses while memories are fresh, work with investigators to run down partial plates and vehicle debris, and follow up with body shops and other leads.

Just as important, a lawyer manages the insurance side. UM claims put you in the odd position of negotiating against your own insurer, and an attorney makes sure your claim is documented, valued fully, and filed on time. Most car accident lawyers work on contingency, commonly one-third of the recovery, so there is no upfront cost to get help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my insurance rates go up after a hit-and-run claim?

Since you were not at fault, a hit-and-run claim generally should not be treated like an at-fault accident, but practices vary by insurer and state. Ask your insurer how such claims affect rates.

What if I only saw part of the license plate?

Report it anyway. A partial plate plus a vehicle description can significantly narrow the search, and police can cross-reference registration databases. Write down every fragment you remember as soon as possible.

Can I still recover if the driver is never found?

Often, yes. Uninsured motorist coverage is the usual path, and collision or medical payments coverage may help too. Terms vary by policy and state, so review your coverage promptly and consider having a lawyer do it with you.

Get Connected With a Trusted Car Accident Attorney

In a hit-and-run case, evidence disappears quickly, and insurance deadlines are unforgiving, so acting fast protects both the search for the driver and your claim. Accident Direct matches you with a vetted local car accident attorney for a free case review, and you pay nothing unless you win. Call \1-800-123-4567 or start your free case review →

Hit and Run: What to Do When the Other Driver Flees