Why You Should Never Flee The Scene of Your Car Accident in Freeport, IL

Your emotions are high in the aftermath of a car accident. You may not even fully comprehend what just happened due to the chaotic nature of a car accident. There are a lot of things you should do in the aftermath of a car accident but one thing you should never do is flee the scene. 

Fleeing the scene of your accident voids your chances of receiving compensation even if the other party is liable for your damages. Instead of fleeing the scene of your accident, your first action should be to contact a Rockford car accident lawyer for more information regarding your case.

You Will Be Charged for Fleeing

Fleeing the scene of your accident is considered a crime. You'll be charged by authorities and have to not only deal with your damages but also fight another legal case. Depending on your situation, you can serve mandatory jail time and be charged a large fine for your actions. Even if the accident amounts to a simple fender bender, you should never leave the scene of the accident.

Minor repair costs could turn into major costs if you flee the scene of your accident. Something relatively inexpensive to repair could easily morph into a headache of a legal case for everyone involved. In a situation where the other party is more liable for the accident, they could pursue legal action towards you and win compensation despite originally causing the accident. 

You'll Make Things Worse for Your Case

Even if you're partially at fault for your accident, you stand a better chance of fighting for your compensation than fleeing the scene. Comparative negligence allows you to win compensation regardless of if you're partly to blame for your damages. Of course, you'll have to prove that the other party was more at fault for your damages. 

Fleeing will only make you look even more guilty than you are and insurance companies will show no mercy towards your situation. 

Fleeing Is Amoral 

Generally speaking, fleeing the scene of an accident is an amoral action. Regardless of if you believe that your accident was caused by the other party, you should always stop and ensure that all parties involved are safe. Calling the authorities and assisting in any way that you can is always the right thing to do in the aftermath of a car accident. The simple action of fleeing could cause someone to lose their life depending on the situation.

This is especially true if your accident occurs at night in an area where there are no other drivers on the road. You may be the other party's only chance of receiving medical attention which is why you should never flee the scene. 

If you're caught for fleeing the scene of an accident where someone lost their life, you could even be charged with manslaughter and face severe consequences. 

Always Wait for Authorities 

Regardless of your situation, always wait for authorities to arrive at the scene of the accident. Unless your life is in immediate danger or there is a scenario where staying in the immediate area of your accident will bring you harm, always wait for authorities to arrive on the scene.