When drivers leave the scene of an accident without rendering aid to an injured victim or exchanging information, they are committing a hit-and-run. Hit-and-run car accidents can lead to physical, emotional, and economic harm for the injured victim. The victim’s injuries may render them helpless to seek out medical treatment without outside assistance. In this scenario, if the accident solely involved the victim and the other driver, the victim’s best chance at life-saving medical treatment disappears from the scene. In Maryland, if a car accident results in physical injury, drivers who flee from the scene of the accident can face both civil and criminal penalties.
Recently, a motorcycle rider from D.C. died after a hit-and-run car accident in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. At around 4:30am, the driver collided with the motorcycle rider traveling in the eastbound lanes. Following the crash, the driver fled the area. The motorcycle rider was found unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the scene. Local police found the driver’s car, but they have yet to identify the driver.
What Penalties Do Hit-and-Run Drivers Face?
Under Maryland law, drivers involved in an accident that leads to injury or death must immediately stop their car and stay at the scene. Once they are stopped, drivers must render aid to anyone injured in the accident. This can include arrangements to transport the injured person to the hospital if requested. Failure to do so carries hefty fines or jail time. In addition to criminal punishment, drivers who flee from the scene of an accident may be on the hook for civil damages.