FHP Reminds Drivers It's Important To 'Stay At The Scene Of An Accident'
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - February is "Hit and Run Awareness Month" and the Florida Highway Patrol has a very clear message to all drivers involved in accidents, "Stay at the scene of the accident."
FHP says our state has seen the amount of hit and run crashes remain steady, "with nearly 25 percent of all crashes involving a hit and run." Miami-Dade leads the state in the number of hit and run accidents.
"It did a lot of damage, I mean that was my first born and it's like one half of me is gone now, the other half is just functioning, it left such a great dent in out hearts," said Maggie Boykins at an FHP event which stressed the importance of staying on scene.
Boykins lost her 45-year-old son Montage in a hit and run accident last September. He was hit while outside his vehicle.
"It's not good to do that. You know you did something that was wrong," said Boykins.
Christopher and Meredith Tunez and their three children were injured, after a hit and run driver struck their vehicle on the Palmetto Expressway. Christopher and Meredith were hospitalized for months with broken bones.
"You know my kids could have died. We could have been short one kid, you know the driver had no idea what happened so staying on the scene and helping a family get closure, really you can't put a price on that," said Christopher Tunez.
"We are so greatful and we are so thankful that we are all still alive and that are children are alive. That it was injuries instead of fatalities. Reckless driving, that's what caused it," said Meredith Tunez.
"We want to emphasize that leaving the scene is not a mistake, it's a crime," said Trooper Joe Sanchez.
The current law imposes a mandatory minimum of four years for a driver convicted of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in a fatality.
FHP says, "If you are involved in a crash, stay at the scene and call for help. It's not just the law – you could save a life."
If you have information on a hit and run crash, you can report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers. In Miami-Dade, you can call (305) 471-8477 or (305) 471-TIPS. In Broward, the number to call is 954-493-TIPS (8477).