(Photo Provided with Release Courtesy of AAA East Central)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Pittsburgh, PA) According to a recent release from AAA East Central in Pittsburgh, a new study reveals a growing crisis on America’s roads, one that leaves injured people alone, without help, and too often without accountability. The latest research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety (AAAFTS) published today finds that 15% of all police-reported crashes in 2023 involved a driver who fled the scene, which is the highest percentage recorded in any recent year. Pedestrians and cyclists are especially vulnerable and 1 in 4 pedestrians and nearly as many cyclists killed in crashes in 2023 were hit by a driver who fled the scene. They are frequently struck in darkness during the late-night or early morning hours, which is when visibility is low and there may be no one nearby to call for help. Roadside service providers who work just feet from moving traffic, often in dangerous conditions, are also. Unfortunately, 15 of them were struck and killed at the roadside last year, based on AAA’s tracking of reported roadside worker fatalities, and at least 6 of those 15 were killed by a driver who fled the scene. AAA is committed to protecting everyone who works or waits at the roadside, because roadside safety starts with everyone. The AAA Foundation’s research identifies practical solutions that can save lives including automatic crash notifications through both smartphones and vehicles, safer road designs that protect people walking and biking, and accountability measures, which include clear legal consequences and consistent enforcement that make fleeing the scene less likely.

Here are some other notable findings according to that same release from AAA East Central

• Hit-and-run fatalities most often occur late at night or in the early morning hours, when it is dark and witnesses are less likely to be present.
• Among known hit-and-run drivers in fatal crashes, 40% did not have a valid driver’s license, and more than half were driving vehicles not registered in their name.
• The majority of identified hit-and-run drivers were young, male, and crashed within a short distance of their homes.
• Research suggests drivers are less likely to flee when they believe they will be caught, pointing to the potential impact of traffic cameras and “Yellow Alerts” that notify and seek information from the public after serious or fatal hit-and-run crashes.