Houston Driver Flees Scene After Hitting Pedestrian and House in Late-Night Accident

According to a News4SA report, a woman is dead, and a driver was arrested after a late-night hit-and-run accident in Houston Sunday night.

Police reported the accident occurred at around 9 p.m. on Sunday, August 27, along West Cypress Forest Drive and Cypresswood Drive on the Northwest side of Houston. The driver, a man, was speeding when he hit a woman walking along the side of the road. He crashed into a house after he hit the woman and then fled the scene. Police later found him walking near the scene and arrested him. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. No injuries were reported from residents in the house he struck.

Did You Know?

Roughly 1 in 5 pedestrian deaths are because of hit-and-run accidents, according to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety¹.

What You Need to Know About Houston Hit-and-Run Accidents

Car accidents are emotionally taxing experiences, especially when the driver who hit you flees the scene. In Texas, the law requires that a driver stop when they’re in any accident where someone is hurt or property is damaged. But, people flee the scene of accidents a lot in Texas — Texas is in the top 10 states with the most hit-and-run fatalities.

Why Drivers Flee Auto Accident Scenes

A study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety¹ sheds some light on why reckless drivers flee auto accident scenes.

Rational Decision Theory

This theory states that drivers will flee the scene if:

1. They have an opportunity – Many hit-and-run accidents happen at night on dimly lit roadways. That’s the perfect opportunity to run.
2. They have an incentive to flee – Not getting arrested for driving without insurance or driving drunk are powerful incentives to flee.
3. They have the ability to flee – Many hit-and-run accidents involve a car hitting a pedestrian. Vehicles are normally in good enough condition to drive away from these kinds of accidents.

Drunk drivers can rationalize bad decisions like this much more easily than sober drivers.

Compensation After a Hit-and-Run Accident

There are two ways to get compensation after a hit-and-run accident in Houston:

When the Driver is Caught

If the driver is caught, you can file a claim for your injuries and/or vehicle damage from their insurance. Texas insurance minimums require drivers to carry at least:

• $30,000 per individual for injuries
• $60,000 per accident for injuries
• $25,000 per accident for property damage

Unfortunately, drivers who flee the scene often don’t have insurance coverage. Or, if they only carry the minimum amount, it may not be enough to cover your damage.

When the Driver Gets Away or is Underinsured

Hit-and-run drivers are only caught half of the time on average in the United States. If the driver gets away or their insurance doesn’t cover your injuries, you can file a claim in your Uninsured Motorist policy.

You Need an Attorney for a Hit-and-Run Accident Injury

Filing a claim for uninsured or underinsured motorists after a hit-and-run can be complicated. Also, insurance companies are famous for low-balling their offers — claimants filing with an attorney’s help get 3.5x more on average for this reason.

Hire Carabin Shaw Hit-and-Run Accident Attorneys

We have thirty years of experience helping people injured in hit-and-run accidents get the compensation they are legally entitled to. Get your free initial consultation with our team today at 800-862-1260 or with the live chat on the bottom right of your screen. Don’t wait! You don’t have much time to file a claim after a hit-and-run accident in Houston. We look forward to serving you.

¹AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Report