As you’re driving in cities like Los Angeles, you will be extremely susceptible to hit and run accidents. As a matter of fact, AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety’s 2016 study approximates that 682,000 hit and run crashes occur every year. In that same year, the number of deaths with regards to the number of fatalities appear to be disproportionate according to the research, with the former exceeding the latter at a whopping 2,049 fatalities compared to the 1,980 hit and run crashes.
In a sprawling metropolitan, a car crash or two are bound to happen, especially in cities like Los Angeles. For this reason, you need to have a hit and run attorney on speed dial just in case.
To protect ourselves from a hit and run in Los Angeles, we must learn from the traffic data in 2020. One might think that the lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic would reach an all-time low as traffic subsides. This, unfortunately, is not the case. As lesser people traveled, the more people felt compelled to drive speedily and recklessly. This resulted in a 15% increase in pedestrian deaths in South Los Angeles in 2020 compared to the preceding year. This reveals that no matter how congested these Los Angeles streets are, traffic fatalities are going to remain. While we can blame the recklessness of drivers, we also need to point our fingers to the design of the roads itself: The safety of the people is not prioritized!
Accidents happen no matter how careful we are, and sometimes people choose to flee the scene of the crime to avoid accountability. With this in mind, we need to think about how we can better protect ourselves when the worst happens.
Get Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Living in Los Angeles is extremely expensive, especially if you factor in the inflated cost of gas, rent, utilities, etc. People need to have a vehicle to mobilize, even if it means not getting insurance. Doing so is illegal, but people do it out of necessity given the car-centric culture of Los Angeles. This results in an influx of people driving in the streets without one.
This is bad news for people without uninsured motorist coverage as it would be extremely unlikely to collect hit and run compensation unless the driver is found and identified which rarely happens. With uninsured motorist coverage, at least you can hold your insurance accountable for any losses accrued from the hit and run accident.
File A Police Report As Soon As Possible
When you have to use your uninsured motorist coverage, you will need proper documentation proving that you were, in fact, a victim of a hit and run. So when you get into a hit and run collision, you need to file a police report as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the less your insurance is going to believe that you just got into an accident of that nature. Filing a police report in a timely manner will push your insurance company to compensate you for the damages you accrued as a result of the accident as it will simultaneously prove that you were telling the truth.
Consult With Hit And Run Lawyers
Given that you have uninsured motorist coverage, you can technically have your insurance reimburse you for any accrued losses from Los Angeles hit and run car crashes. Regardless, it is still in your best interest to lawyer up. A Los Angeles hit and run attorney will help you maximize the hit and run compensation you can get from an accident while still getting all the treatment you need to recover.
About Omega Law Group
Our awards and excellent testimonials are a result of our ability to empathize and attend to the needs of our clients. Here at Omega Law Group, you will come first. If you or a loved one is afflicted with an accident, reach out to our team. Visit our Contact Us page or call us at 866-942-3881.