WASHINGTON, D. C. (Thursday, April 26, 2018) ––It was Xavier Luckey’s sixth birthday. But he was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while he was crossing the street to his birthday party last May. The driver who hit the six-year-old boy in the 4300 block of Livingston Road, Southeast, finally turned himself in to authorities. Last March, a 35-year-old woman, Chanel Nicole Hugley, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Greenbelt Road. Their deaths are part of a disturbing and tragic traffic pattern.

More than one hit-and-run crash occurs every minute on U.S. roads, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. These crashes resulted in 2,049 deaths in 2016 - the highest number on record and a 60 percent increase since 2009.

All told, 228 persons were killed in crashes involving a driver leaving the scene in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. in the four-year period from 2013 to 2016. Even so, 63 of those fatalities occurred in 2016. With the number of hit-and-run crashes on the rise, AAA is calling for drivers to be alert on the road in order to avoid a deadly crash and always remain on the scene if a crash occurs.

AAA researchers examined common characteristics of hit-and-run crashes and found that:

• An average of 682,000 hit-and-run crashes occurred each year since 2006.
• Nearly 65 percent of people killed in hit-and-run crashes were pedestrians or bicyclists.
• Hit-and-run deaths in the U.S. have increased an average of 7.2 percent each year since 2009.
• Per capita, New Mexico, Louisiana and Florida have the highest rate of fatal hit-and-run crashes while New Hampshire, Maine and Minnesota have the lowest rates.

The report by the AAA Foundation found that most victims of fatal hit-and-run crashes are pedestrians or bicyclists. Over the past 10 years, nearly 20 percent of all pedestrian deaths were caused by hit-and-run crashes, meanwhile just one percent of all driver fatalities in that same time period.

“Hit-and-run deaths have hit a record high. Though there is little research on their behavior and their motives, hit-and-run drivers are culpable of committing multiple traffic offenses and crimes against others,” said John B. Townsend II, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs. “They knowingly or unwittingly flee the scene of a crash where a death occurred, or an injury was sustained. They fail to report a crash they caused, as required by the law. They flout taking responsibility for or owning up to their injurious actions. Inhumanely, they forsake ‘rendering reasonable assistance' to anyone injured. Worse of all, they are often cold-blooded, and utterly lack a trace of empathy or compassion for those they have killed or maimed.”

Hit-and-run drivers claimed 107 lives in Virginia in the four-year period from 2013 to 2016, or an

average of nearly 27 lives per year, cautions AAA Mid-Atlantic. In Maryland, 103 persons perished in fatal hit-and-run crashes from 2013 to 2016. It comprises an average of 26 traffic deaths involving hit-and-run drivers per year in Maryland. During the four-year period, hit-and-run drivers struck and killed 18 persons in the District of Columbia, for an average of more than four hit-and-run deaths per year.

      During 2016, there were six hit-and-run crashes involving at least one fatality in Washington, D.C., 25 crashes in Maryland involving at least one fatality and 32 crashes in Virginia involving at least one fatality. During the previous year, in 2015, there were seven hit-and-run crashes in the District, 31 in Maryland involving at least one fatality and 23 in Virginia involving at least one fatality.

“Hit-and-run crashes in the United States are trending in the wrong direction,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “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.”

To decrease the chances of being involved in a crash with a pedestrian or bicyclist, drivers should:

• Be aware: Pedestrians may act unpredictably and can walk into the path of travel at any point.
• Be cautious: Look out for small children and be alert to areas where there are likely to be more pedestrians. These include school zones, playgrounds, bus stops and intersections.
• Be patient: When trying to pass a pedestrian or cyclist, give plenty of space and keep them in your line of sight.
• Be vigilant: Drivers should always yield to pedestrians, even if they walk into the road from an area other than a crosswalk.

“It is every driver’s legal and moral responsibility to take necessary precautions to avoid hitting a pedestrian, bicyclist or another vehicle,” said Jennifer Ryan, director of state relations for AAA. “While no one likes being involved in a crash, leaving the scene will significantly increase the penalties for drivers- whether they caused the crash or not.”

Currently, every state has laws that make it illegal for a driver involved in a crash to flee the scene. State penalties vary depending on the type of crash (i.e. property damage, injury, serious injury or a fatality). If found guilty, drivers can face large fines, lose their license or spend time in prison. AAA encourages drivers to educate themselves about specific hit-and-run laws in their state and remain alert on the road to prevent crashes from occurring.

If a driver is involved in a crash, they should never leave the scene and follow the steps below:

1. Assist the injured- Check for injured people and call 911.
2. Be visible- Make sure that the scene is visible to approaching drivers. If possible, move vehicles out of the path of traffic, and use hazard flashers, flares, and reflective triangles. Find a safe place to remain until emergency services arrive, if needed.
3. Communicate- Call the police and file a report. If the police do not come to the scene, you can file a report by visiting a local police department or your automobile insurance agency.

“By working together, we can bring awareness and identify potential solutions to reduce hit-and-run fatalities,” continued Dr. Yang. “We can’t forget that cars can be deadly when they come into contact with pedestrians, cyclists or other cars. It is incumbent on each and every one of us to stay alert, be aware of our surroundings and always stay on the scene if involved in a crash.”

Hit-And-Run Laws and Penalties

·         In Washington, D.C., the penalty for a hit-and-run crash that causes injury is 180 days jail and $1,000 for a first offense and 1 year jail and $2,500 for a second offense. In Maryland, the penalty is for a hit-and-run crash with injury is not more than 2 months jail and/or not more than $500 if a minor injury. It is a felony with not more than 5 years jail time and/or not more than $5,000 if the crash causes serious injury. In Virginia, a hit-and-run crash is a Class 5 felony.

·         For a hit-and-run crash with damages to property, in Washington, D.C. the penalty is 30 days jail and $100 for a first offense and 90 days jail and $500 for a second offense. In Maryland, the penalty for a hit-and-run crash with damage is not more than 2 months jail and/or less than $500. In Virginia, the penalty is Class 1 misdemeanor, but is increased to a Class 5 felony if there is greater than $1,000 damage.

·         A hit-and-run crash in Maryland that results in a fatality is a felony and carries a term of not more than 10 years jail time and/or not more than $10,000. In Virginia, a hit-and-run crash that results in a fatality is a Class 5 felony. The District of Columbia does not have a specific statute. 

About AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety: Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is a not-for-profit, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. This research is used to develop educational materials for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and other road users. Visit www.AAAFoundation.org.

*B-Roll Video Clip: Hit-and-Run Crash

The driver of the white SUV reported that she was traveling westbound when a dark colored Jeep Cherokee began driving erratically behind her. The Jeep moved into the opposite lane before swerving directly into her SUV. After hitting her vehicle, the Jeep returns to the opposite lane and continues driving westbound without stopping. The in-vehicle dash camera of a nearby semi-truck captured the crash. (Location: Illinois/ Video Credit: Naperville Police Department).

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and nearly 78,000 members in the District of Columbia.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information, visit  https://aaa.com