AAA Study Finds There’s A Hit-And-Run Accident In America Every Minute

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has released a surprising new report which says there is more than one hit-and-run accident on American roads every minute.

On average, there have been 682,000 hit-and-run crashes every year since 2006. While the number of crashes has remained relatively steady, they have become deadlier as 2,049 people were killed in hit-and-runs in 2016. This set a new record and was a 60 percent increase from 2009.

The number of fatalities has climbed an average of 7.2 percent every year since 2009 and nearly 65 percent of people killed in hit-and-run accidents are pedestrians or bicyclists. The organization goes on to say over the past decade, nearly 20 percent of all pedestrian deaths were caused by hit-and-run accidents.

On a per capita basis, the states of New Mexico, Louisiana and Florida have the highest number of fatal hit-and-run accidents. New Hampshire, Maine and Minnesota have the lowest.

While some accidents are unavoidable, AAA says the best way to avoid hitting pedestrians and bicyclists is by using common sense. In particular, the organization says drivers should be aware of their surroundings, exercise caution and be patient when passing pedestrians and bicyclists.

Leaving the scene of an accident is illegal in every state and can carry serious consequences including fines, jail time and a loss of driving privileges. More importantly, the act of notifying police could save someone’s life.

In a statement, the executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, Dr. David Yang, said “Hit-and-run crashes in the United States are trending in the wrong direction. Our analysis shows that hit-and-run crashes are a growing traffic safety challenge and the AAA Foundation would like to work with all stakeholders to help curtail this problem.”