A driver can turn a pedestrian crash into an even more dangerous situation by simply driving away. In 2023, one in four pedestrians killed in U.S. crashes died in a hit-and-run, according to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.
The problem extends beyond the initial impact. A person lying injured in a roadway may need emergency care immediately, yet the vehicle that struck them may already be gone. The latest data also reveals something especially unsettling: these fatal hit-and-runs often happen in darkness, when witnesses and immediate help can be harder to find.
