What are the consequences of a hit and run?

Since motor vehicles have started plying the roads, states have enacted a series of laws and regulations about driving to keep everyone safe. These laws, like nature, have been evolving and will continue to do so (obviously nature has been evolving for a much longer time).

Some consider driving a car is a right. However, it is only a legal privilege and most people believe that is the proper way to think about this situation. You should not have to call up a Charleston, SC accident lawyer to find out more about this. If you are in an accident legal situation, press right here: http://accident.usattorneys.com/south-carolina.

An important duty is the duty to halt and assist others if someone is involved in a car crash. While this “stop and render aid” law varies slightly from one state to another, most states enforce this legal duty for drivers to stop their motor vehicles and provide necessary assistance when they are involved in an accident.

Assistance laws, also termed sometimes as “hit and run” laws, are developed to check people for leaving the scene of an accident. If anyone is involved in a vehicle accident, it doesn't necessarily mean that one acted illegally or is guilty of a crime. However, accidents can end up being in the criminal category if any driver doesn’t stop, identify himself/herself, and provide help. An accident need not create a crime, but the driver's actions afterward could make it so.

Here are some of the responsibilities highlighted under this topic. Hopefully you never need a South Carolina accident attorney but they exist in case you do.

Stop after Accidents or a Crash

The stop and assist law requires all drivers to render aid after an accident. Such laws apply when a driver becomes involved in any accident, crash, collision, or intentional act that results in injury or damage, and not a mere accident.

Don't be like Seinfeld and his friends who do not like to help people. Now they were not in an accident in the series finale but they did refuse to help someone out who needed help. Moreover, if you need an accident lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina or anywhere in this area, here is your outlet: http://accident.usattorneys.com/south-carolina.

Stop when You are Aware of the Accident

There are some states that require a driver to halt, identify, and assist in case the driver becomes aware of the injury or damage. It is the driver’s duty to stop even if the accident is a minor one. For the most part, the degree of the severity or damage is irrelevant.

Drivers cannot make an excuse of their failure to halt by stating that they were unaware of the fact that they were involved in an accident. In case a reasonable driver who in similar circumstances would have known of the accident, it is reason enough to stop and assist. Your argument better be mighty and incredible to be able to get away with that excuse. Such as your mother was trapped on her roof and needed your help and the accident that you got in was minor – something akin to this. Running over people to help your mother get down off the roof of her home is not going to cut it.

Identify Yourself

State laws stipulate that all drivers involved in car accidents share their identification with each other. They must also provide information concerning their car insurance but you do not need to explain to the other driver who your Charleston, SC accident lawyer is if you have one.

Give Assistance

All states require drivers who are involved in an accident to halt and provide assistance whenever possible. These state laws mandate that drivers provide necessary or reasonable help. What is considered “reasonable” assistance can vary from one case to another and depends on the circumstances of the accident.

Passengers

Unlike drivers, passengers don’t share this responsibility. However, any passenger is guilty if he/she persuades, convinces, or urges the driver to run away from the accident scene. If any driver is later found liable for failing to provide assistance, the passenger who persuaded the driver to flee can be found guilty as well. This is only logical.  

Punishments

States regard a hit and run as a misdemeanor or felony depending on several factors. If any person involved in the accident was injured or died, it is a felony, and if no one was hurt, then the offense is usually considered a misdemeanor. Either way you will need a South Carolina accident lawyer to help you out if you make this mistake.