Austin hit-and-run car accidents on the rise
Car accidents often have devastating consequences, including permanent disability or even death for the victim. However, when an accident is a hit-and-run, things change significantly. Even if the accident does not result in death, a hit-and-run is an indicator that the driver might have been impaired, or breaking the law in other ways.
The number of hit-and-run car accidents has been on the rise in Austin. In fact, 2012 was a record-breaking year for Austin, with reports that 12 people were killed as a result of hit-and-runs. The most recent accident happened when a pedestrian, a man approximately 50 years old, was crossing the street around 10:00 pm.
In this particular case, the pedestrian died after he was taken to the hospital. Witnesses were unable to offer much information to police, and the investigation is still ongoing. One witness did indicate that he thought the driver was in a white car with tinted windows.
In 2013, hit-and-runs continue to be a problem. In fact, the city of Austin has developed a special task force for the purpose of handling these types of car wrecks. The hope is that by utilizing a specific unit for hit-and-runs, police will be able to close investigations much more quickly, and find resolutions for the families of the victims.
As a part of the solution, many police officers have been reassigned to the more dangerous intersections of Austin. These reassignments were made after studying accident statistics from past years to determine what areas of the city need to be patrolled more heavily in an effort to reduce these sorts of accidents.