Hit-and-Run Accidents

Hit-and-run collisions are a persistent California problem. The City of Los Angeles has for years recorded tens of thousands of hit-and-run collisions annually and operates a standing reward program for information leading to arrests; dense cities such as Santa Ana, San Bernardino and Long Beach report similar patterns. Pedestrians and cyclists are the most frequent seriously injured victims. When the driver cannot be found, the injured person’s own insurance becomes the primary source of recovery.

What the law requires of drivers

A driver involved in a collision causing injury or death must stop, render reasonable assistance and provide identification (Vehicle Code § 20001 and § 20003); leaving is a felony punishable by prison. For property damage only, leaving is a misdemeanor (§ 20002), and a driver who strikes an unattended vehicle must leave a note with their information. Drivers must also report injury collisions to CHP or local police within 24 hours (§ 20008).

What to do in the first hour

1. Do not chase.

   Pursuing a fleeing driver causes further crashes. Note what you can and let police handle it.

2. Write down everything you remember immediately.

   Plate (even partial), make, model, color, damage, direction of travel, driver description, number of occupants. Memory degrades within minutes.

3. Call 911.

   A prompt police report is essential for both the criminal investigation and your insurance claim; most UM policies require a police report within a short period for hit-and-run claims.

4. Look for witnesses and cameras.

   Doorbell cameras, business security systems, bus cameras and traffic cameras. Footage is often overwritten within days; ask owners to preserve it and give the police the locations.

5. Photograph the scene, debris and your vehicle.

   Paint transfer and debris such as a broken mirror or headlight can identify the vehicle make and model.

6. Seek medical care and notify your insurer promptly.

   Many UM policies have notice requirements for hit-and-run claims.

How your own insurance covers a hit-and-run

Under Insurance Code § 11580.2, California insurers must offer uninsured motorist (UM) bodily injury coverage, and a hit-and-run driver who cannot be identified is treated as uninsured. UM coverage pays for your injuries up to your UM limits. The statute historically required physical contact between vehicles and a police report within 24 hours for hit-and-run UM claims, so prompt reporting matters. Collision coverage repairs your vehicle (subject to your deductible), and uninsured motorist property damage coverage may apply only if the driver is identified.

Medical payments coverage pays medical bills regardless of fault. Health insurance covers treatment but will typically assert a right of reimbursement from any later recovery. If you were a pedestrian or cyclist, your own auto policy’s UM coverage usually still applies, and a resident relative’s policy may as well.

If the driver is identified

Police identify a meaningful share of hit-and-run drivers through plates, cameras and tips. Once identified, the driver’s liability insurance becomes the primary source, and your UM carrier may step back or pursue reimbursement. A driver convicted of felony hit-and-run may face a civil claim for punitive damages in addition to compensatory damages, since fleeing an injured person is conduct a jury may find despicable under Civil Code § 3294.

Rewards and investigation

The City of Los Angeles offers standing rewards for information in hit-and-run cases (up to $50,000 in fatal cases under its ordinance), and other cities offer rewards case by case. LAPD, local police and CHP investigate; the quality of your initial description and the speed with which cameras are canvassed largely determine whether the driver is found.

Hit-and-run in specific California cities

• Los Angeles: LAPD Traffic Divisions, the city reward program and dense camera coverage.
• Santa Ana: high pedestrian exposure and frequent hit-and-run reports on arterials.
• San Bernardino: hit-and-run and uninsured-driver collisions on wide arterials.

Local guides

City-specific pages for hit-and-run accidents in California.

Common questions

I only got a partial plate. Is that useful?

Yes. Combined with make, model and color, a partial plate can narrow DMV records significantly. Give police everything, including the direction the car went.

I do not have uninsured motorist coverage. What can I do?

If the driver is found, their insurance applies. If not, medical payments coverage, health insurance and in some cases a resident relative’s UM coverage are the options. California also has a Victim Compensation Board that can help with some medical expenses for victims of felony hit-and-run.

Will my rates go up if I make a UM claim for a hit-and-run?

California law (Insurance Code § 1861.02 and related regulations) restricts insurers from penalizing policyholders for accidents in which they were not principally at fault. A hit-and-run claim where you were not at fault should not be treated as a chargeable accident.

The driver was found but has no insurance. Now what?

Your UM coverage still applies, since the driver is uninsured. You may also pursue the driver personally, though collection is often impractical.

Sources and official resources

• Vehicle Code § 20001 (hit-and-run involving injury or death)
• Vehicle Code § 20002 (hit-and-run involving property damage)
• Vehicle Code § 20008 (24-hour report of injury collisions to CHP or police)
• Insurance Code § 11580.2 (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage)
• Civil Code § 3294 (punitive damages)
• LAPD — request a traffic collision report

Links go to official government, court and public-health sources. Laws change; verify current text before relying on it.