Research into ‘hit and run’ helps understand why drivers fail to stop after an accident

MIB handles more than 15,000 claims a year from victims of ‘hit and run’ drivers.  The physical and emotional impact suffered by these victims and their families is often long-term and exacerbated by the fact that the culprit did not stop at the scene. Drivers who ‘hit and run’ can be convicted of the serious offences of  failing to stop and failing to report an accident, which can lead to punishments ranging from penalty points or discretionary disqualification, up to an unlimited fine or even imprisonment.

A report, commissioned by MIB, from the Department of Criminology at the University of Leicester, provides a unique and interesting insight into the reasons drivers fail to stop after an accident. The research involved a large scale survey and subsequent interviews of 695 people who had been convicted of committing a ‘hit and run’ offence.

The University researchers were able to categorise the behaviour of people into six broad groups:

• The ‘oblivious’ –A large number don’t think of an incident as serious enough to report, or are unaware of the legal requirement to report it.
• The ‘rational escapists’ – Many drivers think about their own self-preservation rather than any responsibility to report. For example, they may be driving without insurance or have other criminality to hide.
• The ‘panickers’ – In a lot of cases, research shows the drivers initially panic, and subsequently enter ‘flight’ mode, leaving the scene of the accident.
• The ‘uncertain departers’ – Some drivers claim they have no knowledge of the incident occurring.
• The ‘impaired’ or ‘non compos mentis’ – Many people who ‘hit and run’ are under the influence of alcohol, impairing their judgment.
• The ‘intimidated’ – Drivers face aggression from other drivers or pedestrians and as a result, leave the scene.

Dr Matt Hopkins, University of Leicester, said: “The reasons behind why people ‘hit and run’ are complex but by breaking drivers down into categories we start to understand their motivations for leaving the scene of an accident. Interestingly, there seems to be a public perception that motoring offences are not ‘real crimes’ and therefore there is a tendency for drivers to justify their behaviour.”

The report also identified a number of recommendations which MIB will be exploring to help tackle the social and criminal issue of ‘hit and runs’:

• Educating drivers about their responsibilities in the event of an accident which may include a national campaign promoting incident responsibility awareness.
• Developing easy ways of reporting incidents, and considering the development of a web site or online app.
• Raising awareness for drivers through theory tests and speed awareness courses.

MIB is now working with its partners to explore ways to implement these recommendations to help raise awareness and educate drivers about their responsibilities.