Hit and Run Semi Truck Accidents

Despite their necessity in the U.S. supply train, semi-tractor trailer trucks pose a danger to smaller vehicles on the road during an accident. In 2022, 5,837 large commercial trucks were involved in accidents with fatal injuries—almost 70% of which occurred to those in other vehicles, not the truck driver.

Although we don’t typically think of truck drivers when we consider hit-and-run accidents, a significant and growing number of truck drivers flee the scene of the accident, leaving injury victims in increased physical and economic jeopardy.

Is Leaving the Scene of an Accident a Crime?

Fortunately, most truck drivers remain at the scene of the accident, call for help, and give reasonable first aid and comfort to injury victims, as well as sharing their contact information and trucking company name with the authorities. However, some truck drivers leave the scene of the accident, making it a hit-and-run. Leaving an accident scene with property damage and injuries is a crime with significant penalties in most states, including in Missouri. According to Missouri 577.060:

“The offense of leaving the scene of an accident is a class A misdemeanor; or a class E felony if physical injury was caused to another party, or damage in excess of one thousand dollars was caused to the property of another person, or the defendant has previously been found guilty of any offense in violation of this section; or committed in another jurisdiction which, if committed in this state, would be a violation of an offense of this section; or a class D felony if a death has occurred as a result of the accident.”

Truck drivers owe a duty of care to take reasonable measures to avoid causing injury to others. Breaching this duty and directly causing injuries with economic and non-economic damages to others leaves the driver or the company they work for liable for the damages to victims. Evading this liability is just one of many reasons a truck driver might egregiously choose to leave the of the accident.

Why Do Truck Drivers Sometimes Flee the Scene of an Accident?

A hit-and-run truck driver might flee to evade liability for damages, particularly if they are an independent contractor rather than a direct employee—in which case the company they worked for would be liable. An independent contractor could bear personal liability for damages to the victims like medical expenses and lost income. Other reasons a driver might leave an accident scene include the following:

• They have outstanding traffic citations
• They are an unlicensed driver or their CDL has expired
• They lack insurance or have inadequate insurance coverage
• They are undocumented or otherwise driving illegally
• They are intoxicated and fear legal repercussions
• They caused the accident by falling asleep at the wheel after exceeding the legal limit on their driving hours or documenting fraudulent information in their driver logbook
• They were hauling a load for which they didn’t have the required legal endorsements
• Less commonly, drivers leave the scene of an accident due to panic or adrenaline. In truck accident cases, in rare instances, a driver isn’t aware that they caused an accident. For instance, an unsafe lane change could force the driver of another vehicle off the road without making contact.

How A Truck Accident Attorney Can Help

Truck accident claims are complex even under the best of circumstances, due to multiple possible parties bearing liability. In a hit-and-run truck accident, it’s even more challenging to recover fair compensation for damages to the victims. An experienced St. Louis truck accident lawyer from Miller & Hine can represent your rights and best interests and provide skilled legal counsel throughout the process of your claim.