ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — State law enforcement and safety officials call it a “disturbing trend.”
As 2023 wraps up, it's another year where Florida saw more than 100,000 (101,759) hit-and-run crashes, including 262 cases where people lost their lives. That’s according to preliminary data coming from the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle’s crash dashboard, the majority of crashes only resulted in property damage.
It’s a continuing problem, this weekend alone, police in St. Petersburg say someone hit one of their officers before taking off, which came just days after someone hit and killed a 70-year-old woman. There’s now a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Curbing the problem takes help from the community and the drivers who share the road. It’s why troopers with the Florida Highway Patrol are stressing their message to “Stay at the Scene” if you’re involved in a crash.
“This isn't something you do by accident, you choose to leave," FHP Sgt. Steve Gaskins said. "If that's the case, people need to understand there are consequences to your actions."
People who leave the scene of a crash can face a mandatory four-year minimum prison sentence if the crash is fatal.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times people leave the scene when they don't have to, they weren't even at fault in the crash,” Gaskins added.
On top of raising awareness, FHP has also dedicated more resources to solving hit-and-run cases that have gone cold.
“Especially with more complex ones to bring people to justice,” says Trooper Christopher Wells, a lead hit-and-run investigator for FHP based in Tampa. “Our No. 1 goal is for safe travel for everybody in the state of Florida,”
In 2023, their efforts resulted in 177 charges in the Tampa Bay area alone. Wells says tips from the community are a huge help in cracking things open.
New bill proposals could help in the effort as well.
As lawmakers convene for the start of the legislative session Tuesday, they’ll look at proposals including one that would give investigators access to information on any and all car repairs at local body shops, and another that would prohibit driving in the left lane on highways, other than to pass.
Sponsors say the aim is to make roads safer and find those that flee the scene.
“It's hard for us to go to the families and give them closure when we don't have someone to find responsible for the crime,” Gaskins said.
Aside from driving carefully, especially during dusk and at night, troopers say if you come across or witness a crash, make sure to take photos and videos of the scene. You can also give any tips to law enforcement anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling **TIPS. Your information could help bring closure to families.