February is Hit and Run Awareness month in Florida

 February is Hit and Run Awareness month and the Florida Highway patrol is reminding all motorists that it is the law to Stay at the Scene when involved in a crash.

Since 2014, there have been a total of 10 hit and run crashes in Franklin county, most caused damage to property, but there was one crash this year that involved a bicyclist.

Over that same period there were 29 hit and run crashes on Gulf County, 84 in Wakulla County and 6 in Liberty County.

In a quarter of all crashes every year, a driver leaves the scene.

In 2017 alone, there were over 98 thousand hit and run crashes in Florida with 177 fatalities.

Under Florida law, a driver must stop immediately at the scene of a crash on public or private property that results in injury or death.

Leaving the scene of a crash is a felony and a driver, when convicted, will have their license revoked for at least three years and can be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of four years in prison.

Bicyclists and pedestrians are particularly at risk in hit and run crashes.

Of the 177 hit and run fatalities in 2017, more than 100 cases involved pedestrians and bicycles.

The most important thing a driver can do when he is involved in a crash is to Stay at the Scene and call for help. 

The public is encouraged to report hit and run crashes by dialing *FHP (*347).

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