If you don’t want to face hit-and-run charges, following the right tips is a smart move you don’t want to overlook. Hit-and-run charges increase your insurance rate and could cause you to lose your driver’s license. Losing your ability to drive has a lot of other negative impacts on your life. If you are facing charges that could cause you to lose your license, you need a high-quality attorney who keeps your needs in mind each step of the way. Explore how you can avoid this situation before it happens.
Pay Attention to Your Environment
Always pay attention to your environment while you drive. You don’t want to get too close to other vehicles while you are on the road or in a parking lot. If you are not paying enough attention, you could get into an accident before you know it. Use your side and rear-view mirrors to ensure other vehicles don’t get too close to you and reduce your odds of having a hit-and-run accident on your hands.
Never Drive Distracted
Some people eat or text while they are driving. It might not seem like a big deal if you have done it all your life, but even the smallest distraction can make a huge difference in your reaction time. Someone could change lanes or pull in front of you at the last minute.
You could even leave the center of your lane and collide with another vehicle. If you want to get something to eat, pullover or eat in the parking lot. Don’t take phone calls or answer text messages while you are driving, and you won’t have any problems moving forward.
Follow Traffic Signs
Traffic signs help you avoid the unthinkable. They let you know if traffic is about to merge or if you are approaching an intersection. If you have been driving for a while or are on a long trip, you might overlook some traffic signs. You could even find yourself in a city with traffic signs you don’t recognize, and you don’t want to fall into that trap if you can help it. Following traffic signs helps you avoid the unthinkable and goes a long way to prevent collisions.
Limit Your Passengers
It’s vital you limit the number of passengers in your vehicle. If you have too many people in your car or truck, paying attention to the road becomes a challenge. You could have trouble at intersections and stop signs, and you might not notice other vehicles near you if you are focused on your passengers. Ensure your passengers know not to distract you while you are driving.
Drive Slowly in Parking Lots
A lot of accidents happen in parking lots, and you might not expect it. You could pull out of a parking spot and accidentally hit another vehicle without knowing what you did.
A little scratch or dent is all it takes to make you liable for damages. You don’t want to find yourself on the wrong side of a lawsuit, and you don’t want to end up in jail. Always drive slowly in parking lots to avoid that situation, and you will be glad you did when you discover the outcome for yourself.
Leave Your Contact Information
If you accidentally hit a vehicle and don’t want to face the unthinkable, make sure you speak with the other driver right away. Let them know you hit their vehicle and offer to exchange contact information. Make sure you also exchange insurance cards after an incident.
Wait for the Police
Ensure you contact the police after a collision to avoid hit-and-run charges. The police will show up and take a report, and they will make sure nobody is injured. As the police investigate the accident, they will determine who is at fault and how to move forward. If you are not at the scene of the accident when the police show up, they can charge you with a hit-and-run violation.
Hit-and-Run Charges
If you are charged with a hit and run, you could face fines or jail time. The penalties you face depend on the severity of your offense and your past violations. You could face thousands in fines and up to six months behind bars. You could even lose your license. Losing your license impacts your entire life in ways you might not expect. You could lose your job and have a hard time getting another one. Losing your job makes it hard to shop and take care of other obligations, so do your best to avoid this trap.
Getting a Volusia Criminal Defense Attorney
If you are facing hit-and-run charges and don’t know what you should do about it, contact our team right away. Having a caring lawyer on your side makes it that much easier for you to reach the outcome for which you have been searching. You reduce your odds of facing jail time and losing your license. Even if you have lost your license, we do our best to get it back to you as soon as possible. If you would like legal help on which you can depend, reach out to a Volusia criminal defense attorney right away.