It’s time to address Arizona’s hit-and-run crash epidemic

Marc Lamber

Submitted photo/Lamber Goodnow

If Arizona wants fewer drivers to run, it must make leaving the scene feel less like an escape and more like a fast track to being caught.”

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OPINION — A new study from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety offers a fresh warning for Arizonans about hit-and-run crashes. The latest available national data in the report shows that hit-and-run accounted for more than 919,000 police-reported crashes, nearly 243,000 injuries and 2,872 deaths in 2023.

On June 7 in Phoenix, a toddler died after being hit by a vehicle. The suspect was arrested after stopping and then jumping into another vehicle.

In 2024, (latest data available) Arizona recorded 16,136 hit-and-run crashes, 4,202 injuries and 86 deaths. There were 488 more hit-and-runs in Arizona in 2024 than there were in 2023. Drivers are still leaving Arizona crash scenes by the thousands every year.

The AAA study highlights a simple truth that Arizona should not ignore: Drivers are less likely to flee when they believe they will be found and punished. That is the core of deterrence. The report also points to stronger enforcement, more visible traffic cameras, automatic license plate readers, notification and public alerts after serious or fatal hit-and-run crashes as tools that can raise the odds of identification and apprehension.

If Arizona wants fewer drivers to run, it must make leaving the scene feel less like an escape and more like a fast track to being caught.

There is also a crucial takeaway for Arizona drivers with auto policies, even if they are a pedestrian or cyclist or on any type of micromobility device: Review your auto insurance and seriously consider buying uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage.

In a hit-and-run crash, the driver may never be found. Even if the driver is found, that person may have no insurance or not enough insurance to cover the harm they caused. That can leave an injured person or grieving family facing medical bills, lost income, funeral costs and pain and suffering with no clear source of recovery.

That is where UM and UIM coverage can make a real difference.

Think of uninsured motorist coverage as protection for you and your family if the at-fault driver has no insurance or disappears after a crash. Think of underinsured motorist coverage as protection if the at-fault driver has insurance, but not enough insurance to cover the damage. Arizona law requires insurers to offer both types of coverage in writing, but the coverage itself is optional.

Accountability matters, too. Under Arizona law, a driver who flees a crash involving death or serious physical injury can face years in prison. The class 2 felony carries a sentence of up to 12.5 years for a first-time felony offender. A conviction can also mean losing a license for years, 10 years for a hit-and-run resulting in death. Those penalties matter because they send a clear message: If you injure or kill someone on Arizona roads, you do not get to disappear and leave the victim behind.

Hit-and-run is not just a traffic offense. Running is a conscious choice to leave an injured person in the roadway, delay help and compound the harm. That choice deserves strong deterrence on the front end and real accountability on the back end. It is a grave crime with life-altering consequences for victims and serious consequences for the driver who runs.

Marc Lamber is a Valley trial attorney and personal-injury group chair who has practiced law in Arizona for more than three decades. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.