In the initial moments following your auto accident, your flight or fight response may get activated. Meaning, your first instinct may very realistically be to drive away as soon and as quickly as possible. However, it is in your best interest to remain put at this time. Otherwise, you may be up against serious legal ramifications down the line. With that being said, please read on to discover whether it is considered a crime to leave the scene of an accident and how one of the experienced New Jersey & Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyers at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. can help you avoid its potential consequences.
Is it a crime to leave the scene of an accident in New Jersey?
In short, yes, it is illegal to leave the scene of an accident in the state of New Jersey. Technically, this constitutes a “hit and run.” And with committing a hit and run, you fail to stop and uphold your necessary duties at the accident scene.
For one, by law, you must remain at the accident scene until you provide your name, address, driver’s license number, and vehicle registration information to other parties who incurred injuries and/or property damages. You must similarly provide this information to a police officer who responds to your accident scene. And if there is no police presence on the scene, you must immediately go to the nearest local, county, or state police department to report the accident event.
Secondly, also according to federal and state law, you are expected to provide reasonable assistance to any party who incurred injuries in the accident. This may entail calling for an ambulance on their behalf or transporting them to the emergency room yourself.
What are the consequences of fleeing the scene?
Now that you know a hit and run is a criminal offense in the state of New Jersey, you must be informed of the potential consequences you may be up against as a result. Of note, the penalties may vary depending on what transpired during the accident event. Specifically, if another party incurred injuries and/or property damages. Nonetheless, these penalties read as follows:
- A hit-and-run accident resulting in injury or death:
- A fine anywhere between $2,500 to $5,000.
- A prison sentence of up to 180 days.
- A driver’s license suspension for up to one year (i.e., for a first offense).
- Eight points are added to a driver’s license.
- A hit-and-run accident resulting in property damage:
- A fine of anywhere between $200 to $400.
- A prison sentence of anywhere between 30 to 90 days.
- A driver’s license suspension for up to six months (i.e., for a first offense).
- Two points are added to a driver’s license.
We hope that this blog offers the insight you were searching for. For more information, we encourage you to contact one of the experienced New Jersey & Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyers from The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. today.
