What to Do After a Hit-and-Run in Oklahoma

Let’s say someone hits your parked car and leaves the scene. What is the best course of action? We recommend following the steps below.

1. Call for medical services if you or any of your passengers have injuries.
2. Don’t chase the other driver. It’s dangerous, and you may miss key witness testimony.
3. If you can, write down as much information as possible about the at-fault driver, including their license plate number; vehicle make, model, and color; and where they were headed.
4. Take photos of the accident scene, including any damages to your vehicle.
5. Get the contact information of witnesses who saw the hit-and-run happen.
6. Call law enforcement before you leave the scene of the accident, and file a report. You should do this regardless of whether property damages, injuries, or deaths occur, as you can use the police report as evidence in your insurance claim.
7. File an insurance claim. This would be either a third-party claim, meaning it’s under their insurance provider, if you find out who hit you; or a first-party claim with your own provider if you can’t find out who hit you, their insurance limits aren’t high enough, or they lack insurance altogether.

Because Oklahoma is an at-fault rather than a no-fault state, the at-fault driver is responsible for your property damage and the medical costs of you and your passengers. If you find out who the hit-and-run driver was, you can file a third-party claim to get compensation via their liability coverage. However, if you can’t identify the driver, use your uninsured motorist liability coverage, collision coverage, or medical payments coverage — assuming you have these on your insurance policy.

You may be wondering if a hit-and-run is an accident worth reporting to your insurance company. The truth is that your car insurance rates could rise even if the accident wasn’t your fault — unless you have an accident forgiveness policy or were able to file third-party claims with the at-fault driver’s provider.

But any time you make a first-party claim, there’s a chance your rates will go up. If the repairs cost less than your insurance deductible for collision coverage, it may make more sense to pay out of pocket.

We looked at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System to see how many hit-and-runs occur in Oklahoma. Note that on a state-by-state basis, only data about fatal crashes is available; the state-specific data doesn’t include hit-and-runs with only property damage or nonfatal injuries.¹

By Year

From 2011 to 2021, there were 272 fatal hit-and-runs in Oklahoma — an average of 25 per year. Of all fatal crashes during this time period, 4 percent were hit-and-runs. Over that time span, the number of fatal hit-and-runs increased by 72 percent, or an average year-over-year increase of 6 percent.

By Scenario

In Oklahoma in 2021, the plurality of drivers (32 percent) involved in fatal hit-and-runs were driving under the influence (DUI), meaning they had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. Less common causes were distraction and speeding.

Notably, the vast majority — 87 percent — of fatal hit-and-runs in Oklahoma in 2021 occurred at night. Darkness invites more anonymity, leading drivers to flee the scene with more confidence.

By Age

Of the drivers involved in fatal hit-and-runs in 2021 where their age was known, 29 percent were between the ages of 25 and 34, followed by 23 percent between the ages of 35 and 44. In fact, 71 percent of the drivers were aged 25 to 54, meaning that young and senior drivers were less likely to be involved in these accidents than many people might assume.

By Sex

Of the fatal hit-and-runs in 2021 where the driver’s sex was known, 67 percent were male. Across all types of car crashes, male drivers are more likely to be involved, which is why men pay more for car insurance in most states, including Oklahoma.²

What happens to people convicted of hit-and-runs in Oklahoma? To find out, we looked into Title 47 of the Oklahoma Statutes — specifically, the Highway Safety Code.

Failure to Stop

If you cause injury, death, or damage to any vehicle, the law requires you to exchange the following information with the other driver:

• Name
• Address
• Vehicle registration number
• Driver’s license
• Security verification form (proof of insurance)

Additionally, the law requires you to render reasonable assistance to any injured person involved in an accident, meaning get them medical help. And if the car crash resulted in a death, you must submit to drug and alcohol testing as soon as possible, after you’ve rendered aid.³

If you fail to do these things and are caught leaving the scene of an accident, you could be convicted of a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the consequences of the car crash.

Failure to Report

You’re also required to file a police report for any car accident that causes injury, property damage, or death worth over $500. For car crashes with death or injury, you must report the accident immediately, but you have up to six months to do so for crashes with property damage only. Failure to report is a misdemeanor and can lead to the following criminal penalties.

If someone hits your car and flees the scene, they’re guilty of a misdemeanor at best and a felony at worst. While you can’t control the actions of other drivers, you can still get compensated after a hit-and-run, even if you never find the perpetrator.

That’s why it’s critical to have full-coverage car insurance with uninsured motorist, collision, and medical payments coverage for medical bills. While filing a first-party claim may increase your rates, it’s usually worth it to get the compensation you’re entitled to.