The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and its division of the Florida Highway Patrol are leading the state’s “Stay at the Scene” campaign to help prevent hit-and-run crashes, reduce fatalities and injuries, and bring justice to families impacted by these crimes.
Over the past five years, nearly 516,000 hit-and-run crashes were reported on Florida’s roadways, resulting in 1,251 fatalities, according to data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV).
FLHSMV’s hit-and-crash data from 2018-2022:
| YEAR | CRASHES | SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES | FATALITIES |
| 2018 | 103,213 | 1,172 | 206 |
| 2019 | 105,925 | 1,112 | 217 |
| 2020 | 92,300 | 983 | 257 |
| 2021 | 109,624 | 1,185 | 305 |
| 2022 | 104,895 | 1,007 | 266 |
According to FLHSVM, fatalities in hit-and-runs due to low-light conditions decreased in 2022, and the total number of crashes at dawn, dusk, or nighttime also saw a slight drop. Despite that reduction, FLHSMV states that approximately 80% of all hit-and-run crashes occur during the evening hours or dimly lit time periods, and nearly 85% of hit-and-run crashes in low-light conditions involve a fatality.
In 2022, a majority of the 266 hit-and-run fatalities were pedestrians (144) and bicyclists (50). While the overall number of hit-and-run fatalities decreased in 2022 compared to the previous year, the percentage of bicyclists and pedestrians who were killed in hit-and-run crashes rose by 3%, according to FLHSMV.
“Florida has been experiencing far too many hit-and-run tragedies for far too long, and this needs to change,” stated FLHSMV Executive Director Dave Kerner. “Drivers who flee the scene of a crash are law breakers and displaying disregard towards other people’s lives and property. Fleeing the scene of a crash will cause severe, lifelong penalties, and law enforcement – including our State Troopers – will track down those offenders to make sure they are held accountable under the law.”
Under Florida law, a driver must stop immediately at the scene of a crash on public or private property that results in property damage, injury, or death:
- If the crash involves property damage, leaving the scene is classified as a second-degree misdemeanor, with penalties of up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine.
- Leaving the scene of a crash with injuries is a second- or third-degree felony and a driver, when convicted, will have their driver license revoked for at least three years. The driver can also be sentenced to up to five years in prison and incur a $5,000 fine.
- Drivers who leave the scene of a crash with a fatality face a first-degree felony with a mandatory minimum of four years in prison, and they could be sentenced to up to 30 years in prison and incur a $10,000 fine.
Out of the 104,895 hit-and-run crashes in Florida last year, nearly 86,800 involved property damage only. Anyone involved in a crash with property damage must stay at the scene and attempt to locate or contact the property owner. If the property owner cannot be found, the driver responsible for the crash should leave contact and insurance information in an identifiable location.
In the case of property damage only, the driver and crash victim – once contact has been made between them – can self-file a crash report with FLHSMV.
The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles states that even a small tip can help solve a hit-and-run case. Anyone with information on a hit-and-run crash is encouraged to report it by calling *FHP (*347). Those wishing to remain anonymous can contact the Florida Crime Stoppers by calling **TIPS (**8477) or through the Florida Crime Stoppers smartphone app, which is available for free in the Apple and Google Play stores.
For more information on the “Stay at the Scene” campaign, including data, downloadable materials, and additional resources, visit the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles “Hit-and-Run Awareness” webpage.