Hit-and-Run in Florida: What to Do When the Other Driver Disappears

Leaving the scene is a crime in Florida

Florida Statutes §§ 316.061 and 316.027 make leaving the scene of a crash a criminal offense — a misdemeanor when only property is damaged, and a felony when someone is injured or killed. Police take these cases seriously, and fleeing drivers are found more often than people expect: paint transfer, debris, traffic and doorbell cameras, and witness partial plates all break cases.

What to do in the first minutes

Resist the urge to chase — it's dangerous and can complicate fault. Instead:

• Call 911 immediately and report everything you remember: vehicle color, make, damage, direction of travel, any plate fragment
• Ask nearby businesses and homes about camera footage before it's overwritten
• Photograph your vehicle, the scene, and any debris the other car left behind
• Get medical care promptly — your PIP coverage still applies, and the 14-day rule still runs

How you get compensated when the driver is never found

Your own policy does the heavy lifting. PIP pays initial medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault. Beyond that, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage — if you carry it — steps into the shoes of the missing driver and covers what they should have paid, including pain and suffering in qualifying cases.

UM claims are still adversarial: you're negotiating against your own insurer, and they evaluate your claim the same skeptical way they'd evaluate a stranger's. Representation matters just as much here.

If the driver is found

A criminal charge against the fleeing driver runs separately from your civil claim — you can pursue compensation whether or not prosecutors win their case. Evidence gathered by police becomes powerful leverage in yours.

CrashAid can connect you with a Florida attorney who handles hit-and-run and UM claims — free referral, no police report required to start.