With its many highways leading in and out of Chicago, the city sees its share of motor vehicle accidents. When crashes occur, most people follow the law and report the incident to the authorities when property damage or injuries result.
Recent trends show drivers who are at fault increasingly flee the accident scene.
Investigation shines a light on hit and run accidents
An NBC 5 report shows that not only have accidents increased in Chicago in the past year but also that hit-and-runs climbed dramatically during this period. The investigation looked at traffic data for four years, covering just under 440,000 accidents. Of this number, authorities labeled just over 130,000 as hit-and-runs.
As bad as that sounds, the past 12 months averaged nearly 100 hit-and-run accidents a day, for a total of 36,305. This represents an 18.3% increase from the previous 12 months. Accenting the situation, this June saw 3,565 hit-and-run crashes, the highest number in the past four years. The investigation revealed that the past 12 months recorded the highest levels for deaths, serious injuries and accidents involving hit-and-run drivers.
Information fails to explain the situation
The news investigation offered no concrete rationale for the increase in hit-and-runs. This also comes at a time when carjackings and highway shootings have increased as well.
These crashes often leave victims with unanswered questions about who caused the accident and how justice can prevail. One man lost two family members, including an infant son, to a hit-and-run accident. The Illinois State Police declined to comment as the investigation of the accident is still ongoing.