A recent bicycle hit and run accident has generated talk of tougher legislation on hit-and-run accidents. The most recent hit-and-run happened Tuesday morning at a residential intersection in East Salt Lake. A Utah Law maker says tougher laws against hit-and-run drivers is likely due to the increase in hit-and-run accidents over the last year.
Tuesdays mornings accident happened at 1400 East and 900 South reports KSL News. The car knocked a man off of his bicycle. The driver of the vehicle got out to look at the damage then got back into her car and drove away. “[She] stopped, got out of the car, went over and looked, raised her arms and said something in anguish and then got back in her vehicle and continued northbound on 1400 East,” said Salt Lake police Detective Dennis McGowan.
Obviously a driver is expected to stop during any accident, it is sometimes a matter of life and death. Unfortunately, current laws in hit-and-run accidents are less severe than other states.”You know, it’s possible they’re panicked. Maybe they don’t have a driver’s license. Maybe they’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” McGowan said. If they leave and are caught the next day they are usually sober which leaves insufficient evidence for a felony prosecution.
Utah is one of the few states where a hit-and-run is only a misdemeanor, even if the victim dies. “For me, it should never be less of a penalty for somebody to leave the scene and then come back the next day,” Rep. Chris Herrod said. Herrod is already preparing the tougher bill for the next session. “I think it will be easier, unfortunately, next year, just because of the number of accidents we’ve had over the last two months,” he said.
Hit-and-run accidents present a significant struggle for the party involved. Not only do they incur substantial medical complications but they are forced to shoulder the cost of the medical bills because the at-fault party flees the scene.
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