In early October, a DRHS student was hit by a car in a hit-and-run just blocks away from the school campus. The driver didn’t stop or try to help. The incident shocked the school community.
“I feel like the recent accident that we’ve had with our students here at Dakota is a rude awakening and makes it a fact that it could happen to anybody,” DRHS Spanish teacher Nicole Johnson said.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a hit-and-run incident occurs when a driver causes or is involved in a crash and leaves the scene without providing information; it’s more than just a matter of the driver experiencing panic or fear. Leaving the scene increases the risk of serious harm to the victim by delaying emergency help, and it makes the investigation much more difficult to manage. In a 2016 study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, there were about 1,980 fatal hit-and-run crashes resulting in 2,049 deaths throughout the U.S.A.
How to Prevent Hit-and-Runs
As stated on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website, there are things a bystander or witness can do, even as students, to reduce the risk of hit-and-runs around the community:
- Stay sober and alert when driving or riding in a vehicle. Impaired or distracted driving leads to many of these incidents.
- Drive insured and drive legally. Drivers without insurance or proper licensing are more likely to flee.
- Install dash-cams in cars when possible. Cameras deter drivers from fleeing and help capture important evidence.
- Remain visible if walking or biking, especially at night. Wear bright clothes or use lights so drivers can see you.
- Create awareness and a culture of accountability. Talking about hit-and-runs in school, among friends, and online matters.
If You See a Hit-and-Run
Many people don’t really know what to do if they’ve witnessed a hit-and-run.
DRHS sophomore Rae Cullen suggests, “Try to get their license plate and immediately help the person who’s been hurt.”
Cullen is correct, but there are other factors to consider.
If you witness or arrive at the scene of a hit-and-run, here’s what to do:
- Don’t chase the fleeing car. Chasing is dangerous and often makes things worse.
- Try to note details: license plate, car color, make/model, direction the car left, and the time.
- Call 911 immediately. Tell the operator everything you saw.
- If it’s safe, help any injured person until emergency responders arrive.
- If you can, take photos or video of the scene (from a safe distance, no confrontation).
- Provide your statement to the police. Even what seems like a small detail can lead to finding the driver.
A Colorado-based law firm, Shouse Law Group, provides information on what to do when involved in a Colorado accident, since the obligations vary per state. If involved in a car accident in Colorado, you are legally required to remain at the scene unless specific circumstances occur, such as you are badly injured and in need of immediate medical attention.
Penalties for leaving an accident scene can include as little as 10 to 90 days in jail with minimal fines, all the way up to 12 years in prison with hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.
“If you are an older person, and you decide to hit and run, then I think that could still be emotionally driven, but I think that should be a heavier penalty than a teenager who’s still learning,” DHRS resource officer Deputy Dave Bruening said.
What happened to the DRHS student was not just bad luck; it was a choice by the driver to flee. Why the driver fled is unknown, although certainly the community is trying to understand the reason.
“I would say fear, and that could be fear that they don’t have insurance, or that they don’t have a license, or fear they will get in trouble with law enforcement or someone else,” Bruening said.
Hit-and-runs aren’t accidents in the sense of being unavoidable; they’re the result of a decision. While you can’t control every driver out there, you can choose to be aware, responsible, and ready to act. If you see something, do something, because the next time, it could be you or someone you care about.
