Hit-and-run

Hit-and-run is the act of causing (or contributing to) a traffic crash (such as colliding with a person or a fixture), without stopping afterwards. It is considered a crime in most jurisdictions.

In many jurisdictions there may be an additional obligation to exchange information about one's financial responsibility (including any applicable insurance) or to summon emergency services if they are needed. There may also be requirement to leave a note containing pertinent information if the property owner is not present.

Hit-and-run laws arose from the difficulties that early traffic collision victims faced in identifying perpetrators so that they could be brought to justice. Apart from the obvious ability of an automobile to flee the scene quickly (if still driveable), drivers often wore driving goggles, vehicles at the time did not have license plates, and roads were unpaved and thus quite dusty.

Hit-and-run has severe legal consequences, including the suspension or cancellation of one's driver's license (lifetime revocation of a driver's license is possible in certain jurisdictions). It is frequently considered a criminal offense which can be punished by imprisonment. Insurance companies often void the policies of drivers involved in this offense.

Attempts to understand the mental state of the hit and run driver began soon after the offense became codified and more recently has been explored in an article titled "The Psychology of Hit and Run" (2008).

Australian law concerning vehicle crashes, says that a driver involved in a crash must stop at the scene and give his or her information to all other drivers involved and/or persons injured, as well as the owner and/or driver of any property damaged, and a police officer if:

The demerit point system is used for the commission of traffic offenses in Australia; for each offense committed, a certain number of points are given, and the accumulation of points can lead to fines and/or license suspension or revocation. When a driver fails to stop at the scene and provide the required information to the necessary people, he or she is guilty of a “hit and run”, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 points.

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Wikipedia