Traffic accidents happen every day. Whether these accidents involve two or more vehicles, a vehicle and a pedestrian, or a vehicle and a bicyclist — catastrophic injuries, even death, may result. Because of this, all states have laws that regulate the behavior of people involved in a vehicular accident, which means that Oklahoma law treats hit and run very seriously.
Oklahoma Law: What it Requires
The law requires that all drivers of a vehicle on Oklahoma streets carry insurance. Oklahoma law also requires that anyone involved in a vehicular accident stop render aid to any other person involved who may be injured, and exchange information, giving his or her correct, name, address, vehicle registration, license, and insurance information.
In addition, if the accident causes great injury or death, the driver of the other vehicle must submit to drug and alcohol screening as soon as is practical after the accident. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 10-104
Why Do Drivers Flee the Scene?
Drivers take off in a hit and run for varying reasons. The car is stolen, they are high, their insurance lapsed, this is their second or third or fourth DUI with certain jail time as a result, the driver has no drivers’ license, they are afraid. A driver can flee for any one or all of these reasons.
Hit and Run is Never the Answer
As scary as it is to face the consequences of a vehicular accident that you may have caused, it can be worse of face the consequences of being caught after a hit and run. And eventually, you will be caught.
The consequences of being caught for a hit and run depend on the kind of injury you cause. For a non-fatal injury, if you willfully, maliciously, or feloniously fail to stop to avoid getting caught or prosecuted, you could be convicted of a felony in Oklahoma. Not only could you lose your driving privileges, you could serve between 10 days to 2 years in jail and pay a fine between $50 and $1,000. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 10-102
Likewise, if you intentionally fail to stop after being involved in an accident in which someone dies, you may be convicted of a felony offense. You could spend 1 to 10 years in prison, lose your license to drive, and you may also have to pay a fine between $1,000 and $10,000.
Finally, a hit and run involving only property damage may result in a conviction of a misdemeanor in Oklahoma. This offense is punishable by up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $500, or both. Also, a judge can order you to pay restitution in addition to allowing the injured party to collect three times the value of their property damages in a separate civil suit against you. Okla. Stat. tit. 47 § 10-103
You will want an experienced criminal defense attorney to help you through every step of a criminal prosecution against you. Your Oklahoma City criminal law attorney can help preserve your freedom when it counts.
Initial Consultation: Oklahoma City Criminal Defense Attorney
We make it easy for you to get answers to your most pressing questions. There is no cost and no obligation for an initial consultation with our Oklahoma City criminal defense attorney. Call today for answers to your questions.
Our lawyer is well positioned to advise you accordingly, as he has the necessary training and experience. He has the wit and tenacity to match the skill of the Oklahoma City prosecutors.
For a initial consultation, call the Criminal Defense Law Office of Oklahoma City at 405-588-4529 (588-4LAW) today.
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