Unfortunately, many of you will have already experienced it: One moment of not paying attention and it's already happened - having caused a traffic accident is always an unpleasant situation. Bodywork damage is particularly common in parking lots, for example when parking or leaving a space or when a shopping trolley rolls away. But dents on vehicles are not the only consequences of accidents: Time and again, people also come to harm and are injured - with varying degrees of severity.
Whatever type of traffic accident you have caused: Please don't panic! Mistakes do happen. However, in these moments it is important to act correctly and report the incident to the police immediately. Every year, however, several hundred road users in Lippe fail to do this: instead, they flee the scene of an accident and commit a criminal offense. A hit-and-run is not a trivial offense - even if there are "only" a few scratches on the vehicle.
Always put yourself in the position of the injured party, for whom it is terribly annoying and complicated not to know who caused the accident and is responsible for the damage to the vehicle. It is even worse for people who are injured and suffer damage to their health for which no one takes responsibility - especially as some injuries are not visible immediately after the accident but only become apparent later.
From a police perspective too, hit-and-run accidents often lead to unnecessarily time-consuming investigations for only minor (sheet metal) damage. However, this takes up a lot of time for the traffic police, which could be better invested in investigating serious traffic offenses instead... That's why we answer the most important questions about hit-and-run accidents below and explain why it should never be an option.
Help prevent hit-and-run accidents: Report a traffic accident to the police yourself and don't make yourself liable to prosecution - true to our motto #hit-and-run with me!
If you witness a hit-and-run, please pass on your information to our traffic police department: The contact details can be found on the right-hand side of this page (on mobile devices at the bottom).
According to §142 StGB, you can expect a fine or a prison sentence of up to 3 years for a hit-and-run, depending on the extent of the damage. Other possible consequences are 3 points in Flensburg, a driving ban of max. 3 months or even the revocation of your driving license. In addition, there may be civil claims from injured parties and a possible loss of your own insurance cover.
The police come to the scene of the accident, inspect the damage in person and properly record the incident on site. This means that a claim settlement has been initiated and you have fulfilled your obligations as a party to the accident. In the event of damage to property, a warning fine of 20 to 35 euros may be due - this is the end of the matter for you with regard to the police. The insurance companies will take care of the rest...
No! If the owner of the damaged vehicle is not on site, you have two options: Wait for the "opposing party" and clarify the incident together. Alternatively, report the incident to the police and wait until they have recorded the accident on site.
No! If both parties involved in a minor accident come to an agreement and exchange their personal details and insurance numbers independently, it is not necessary to involve the police. However, if there is any doubt as to who is at fault or whether the parties involved will stick to agreements afterwards, it is better to play it safe. In such a case, call the police so that the damage can be properly recorded. This also applies if you have damaged objects in an accident - for example a fence, a wall or a road sign.
As soon as a child is involved in the accident or there are injuries, you should always call the police! Children are not considered to be persons ready to make a statement: Even if the child claims not to be injured to you, guardians may discover injuries afterwards and report the incident to the police. If you then fail to report the accident, you could face criminal charges for hit-and-run and/or failing to render assistance.
Don't just look away, but inform the police! Please make a note of the following things if possible:
- the license plate number of the vehicle
- the make of the vehicle
- the color of the vehicle
- the direction of escape
- the description of the fleeing driver
With this information, the Lippe police traffic commissioner's office will then investigate in order to solve the hit-and-run and bring the person responsible to justice.